UPDATE: Ryanair shuts down Copenhagen base

Unions warn of a strike next week

The Irish budget airline Ryanair has decided to close its Copenhagen hub with immediate effect following the labour court Arbejdsretten’s decision to allow the aviation employee organisation FPU the right to demand a wage agreement with the Irish budget airline Ryanair’s base in the Danish capital.

The airline will withdraw its overnight planes, but still operate 12 routes from Copenhagen using aircraft based outside of Denmark. Meanwhile it will appeal against the Arbejdsretten ruling.

“We have instructed our lawyers to immediately appeal against this ruling, which appears to allow competitor airline unions to blockade Ryanair’s aircraft based at Copenhagen, and we have also submitted a secondary claim to the Danish Labour Court,” the airline said.

“We will continue to operate 12 routes to/from Copenhagen but on aircraft based outside of Denmark, as we are determined to grow Danish tourism and jobs, at a time when SAS is cutting jobs, cutting pay and cutting pensions.”


Original story:

Copenhagen Airport could descend into chaos in the near future following the labour court Arbejdsretten’s decision to allow the aviation employee organisation FPU the right to demand a wage agreement with the Irish budget airline Ryanair’s base in Copenhagen.

The union advocacy organisation LO, which handles the interests of the aviation employees, has warned of a sympathy strike starting on Monday night that includes big unions such as 3F, HK and Dansk Metal.

In short, that means the members of the unions will be unable to perform their duties for Ryanair and the airline will be forced to look elsewhere for luggage handling and the cleaning and servicing of their planes.

READ MORE: Ryanair decision on hold

Prepared to go to the EU
The reason for the strike is that LO is unhappy that Ryanair refuses to agree to a wage agreement on a par with Danish wage and labour standards.

Ryanair, on the other hand, contends that it complies with all EU legislation because it’s an Irish airline operating with Irish-registered aircraft.

The airline has previously stated it is prepared to bring the case before the EU Court.




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