Ryanair Faces Lawsuit From 262 Pilots Over Alleged Withheld Holiday Pay
Pilots claim they are entitled to holiday pay, citing previous court rulings that classified agency contractors as workers.
Hundreds of pilots have initiated legal action against Ryanair, asserting that the airline has failed to provide them with holiday pay. A lawsuit filed in London's Commercial Court includes 261 claimants alongside a former pilot for the carrier, Richard Phillips.
The claim also names recruitment agencies Storm Global and Brookfield Aviation International, along with tax consultancy Scanlon Associates, as defendants. Ryanair has historically utilized contractor pilots engaged through these agencies to supplement its full-time staff.
Ryanair has previously contended that these contracted pilots are not employees and therefore are not entitled to benefits such as sick pay or holiday pay. However, a Court of Appeal ruling last year determined that a Ryanair pilot, Jason Lutz, was employed by the airline while flying for it, rather than being a self-employed contractor. The firm representing the pilots in the current lawsuit, Claims Compensation Group (CCG), argues this precedent renders Ryanair's defense invalid.
According to the CCG website, airline pilots engaged through agencies are considered workers under the law and are thus entitled to holiday pay, pension contributions, and other statutory protections that have often not been honored. CCG is representing pilots engaged by Ryanair via agencies and is seeking workers' rights for their entire engagement periods, suggesting that agency-engaged pilots may have been underpaid.
This legal challenge follows similar cases faced by Ryanair across Europe. In January 2026, the Berlin-Brandenburg State Social Court ruled that Ryanair pilots based in Germany are employees subject to social security contributions. In Spain, a court ruled in favor of Captain Ian Charles Kenyon in a dismissal case involving Ryanair DAC, Brookfield Aviation International, Storm Global, and Elise Aviation.
The CCG also referenced a previous Supreme Court ruling that classified Uber drivers as workers, not self-employed contractors, entitling them to workers' rights including holiday pay. The firm contends that similar logic should apply to other agency-engaged workforces.
Ryanair, Storm Global, Brookfield Aviation International, and Scanlon Associates have been contacted for comment.