Pilot wins £70,000 after pay dispute

Published on Thursday 20 March 2008 21:15

A PILOT who quit the budget airline Ryanair after being denied pay rises, promotion and expenses he claimed he was due has been awarded nearly £70,000 by an employment tribunal.

David Dillon had been a cadet pilot with Aer Lingus but was made redundant following a downturn in trade after the 9/11 terror attacks in 2001. He was hired by Ryanair from 1 April, 2002, and was later transferred from Dublin to Prestwick.

His starting salary was 15,814, and it was due to increase to 22,000 from 1 April following his first anniversary with the airline.

He was to be paid another increase, taking him to almost 29,000, on 1 April following his third anniversary, along with annual increments.

But Ryanair disputed his starting date and also argued that, as his starting date was 1 April, it meant he would not get his increases until he had clocked up two years' and four years' service respectively, as the first anniversary following 1 April was a year later.

However, Mr Dillon insisted that he was promised when hired that he would not be caught by the 1 April deadline.

David O'Brien, Ryanair's director of flight and ground operations, denied that the airline had failed to promote Mr Dillon, insisting he had chosen not to sign the bond relating to training costs, turning down the opportunity of promotion and a pay rise.

He also insisted no back pay had been due and that Mr Dillon's starting date as a full-time pilot had been 7 August, 2002, not 1 April.

The tribunal concluded the dispute should be resolved in Mr Dillon's favour.

Last night, a spokesman for the airline said: "This is nanny statism gone mad. Ryanair will review this decision and we intend to appeal it."