Up to Dh11,950 repay: Ryanair tells flight attendants to return 2024 salary hikes

Ryanair has told flight attendants in Spain to repay up to €3,000 ($3,250 or approximately Dh11,950) in salary increases after a court ruled that the agreement which granted the raises was invalid.

According to the BBC, the Irish budget airline had agreed to the pay hike last year with Spanish union CCOO, but it was nullified in March following a legal challenge by rival union Union Sindical Obrera (USO).

USO successfully argued in court that CCOO was not authorised to sign deals affecting its members. Ironically, Ryanair is now demanding repayment from USO-affiliated staff, prompting the airline to state: “USO are complaining about pay cuts that result from their own court case.”

In April, Ryanair emailed affected crew members, instructing them to repay the October–March raises or face a return to pre-hike salaries—unless they switched allegiance to CCOO. The company warned the outstanding amounts would be “simply deducted from the payslip until the debt is paid.”

Documents reviewed by Reuters confirmed this approach and revealed that some crew members were asked to repay as much as €3,857 ($4,337).

The BBC also obtained internal documents in which Ryanair described the salary hikes as an “overpayment situation.” The airline offered employees a 12-month plan to recover the money through monthly deductions. Notably, unaffiliated workers reportedly escaped the clawback, but all USO delegates were told to return the funds.

USO spokesperson Ester Peyro Galdran accused Ryanair of coercing staff to join CCOO, citing constant emails and shifting deadlines. Ryanair, in turn, dismissed USO’s stance as “farcical,” noting that the union’s own legal challenge triggered the situation and is still under appeal.

One anonymous cabin crew member told Reuters that Ryanair cut his salary and asked him to repay over €3,800 (around $4,115 or Dh15,100), despite his earnings being close to Spain’s minimum wage of €1,184 (around $1,280 or Dh4,700) per month.

Despite the court ruling voiding the original deal, Ryanair confirmed that staff affiliated with CCOO will not be required to return their raises. The airline has since negotiated a new pay deal with CCOO, avoiding further disruption among its members.

Ryanair, known for its ultra-low-cost business model and no-frills service, has long clashed with unions across Europe. While the airline enjoys popularity for its low fares, it has repeatedly faced strikes and staff protests demanding better pay and working conditions.