Ministry of Public Works sets minimum services for Ryanair cabin crew strike

As was the case for the strikes announced at the end of July and September 2018, the Spanish Ministry of Public Works has informed Ryanair, AENA, Enaire and the trade unions involved (SITCPLA and USO-STA) of the minimum services required during the cabin crew strike called on 8, 10 and 13 January.

These essential services are aimed at harmonising common public interest - public mobility needs in particular - with these workers' right to strike.

Ryanair is the company that carries the most passengers in the Spanish market, offering more than 400 routes from Spain. According to information provided by the company itself, close on 1,900 workers comprise the group performing cabin crew tasks at the Spanish hubs.

The minimum services required by law, which apply to operations that the company has stated will be affected by the strike action, are as follows:

a) All those services whose scheduled departure time is before the start of the strike and whose scheduled arrival time is during the strike period.

b) 100% of the domestic passenger transport services from the airline for all routes with airports in non-mainland territories.

c) 35% (rounded up) of passenger transport services from the airline on every route with mainland Spanish cities whose alternative means of public transport requires a journey time of less than five hours.

d) 57% (rounded up) of passenger transport services from the airline on every route with mainland Spanish cities whose alternative means of public transport requires a journey time of five hours or more, and on every route with foreign cities.

e) Where appropriate, flights scheduled for the transportation of universal postal mail and perishable goods when said flights are made on aircraft used exclusively for freight purposes.

f) All technical positioning operations and any others, such as crew relocation, necessary to effectively provide the air transport services considered as essential, those operated in the periods between strike days and those following the conclusion thereof.

It is also stated that Ryanair, as well as Crewlink and Workforce (also affected and through which many of those called to strike are employed), must adopt all necessary measures to guarantee that these essential services are provided under the standard terms and conditions, thereby maintaining the strictly necessary number of personnel on duty as required for each period affected by the strike, safeguarding safety at all times.

Finally, the resolution states that the airline must adopt all necessary measures to strictly and rigorously guarantee the rights of passengers affected by the strike action, particularly regarding the provisions of Regulation (EC) Nº 261/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 February 2004.