Hundreds of pilots have filed a lawsuit against Ryanair, asserting that the airline has withheld their holiday pay. The legal action, filed in London's Commercial Court, includes a former pilot for the carrier, Richard Phillips, as the lead claimant alongside 261 other individuals.

The lawsuit also names recruitment agencies Storm Global and Brookfield Aviation International, along with tax consultancy Scanlon Associates, as defendants. Ryanair has historically utilized contractor pilots hired through these agencies to supplement its core staff.

Previously, Ryanair has maintained that these contractor pilots, not being direct employees, were 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 indeed employed by the airline while flying for it, rather than being an independent contractor. The firm representing the pilots in the current lawsuit, Claims Compensation Group (CCG), contends that this precedent renders Ryanair's defense invalid.

CCG stated on its website that airline pilots engaged through agencies are legally considered workers and are therefore entitled to holiday pay, pension contributions, and other statutory protections. The group is representing pilots who were engaged by Ryanair via agencies and is claiming workers' rights for their entire period of engagement. CCG suggests that agency-engaged pilots who have flown for Ryanair may have been underpaid.

This legal challenge follows similar cases Ryanair has faced internationally. In January 2026, a ruling by the Berlin-Brandenburg State Social Court established that Ryanair pilots based in Germany are employees and are 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, MCG Aviation (now Storm Global), and Elise Aviation.

CCG also referenced a prior Supreme Court decision that classified Uber drivers as workers, not self-employed contractors, granting them workers' rights including holiday pay. The group asserts that the same logic should apply to other agency-engaged workforces.

The Daily Mail has reached out to Ryanair, Storm Global, Brookfield Aviation International, and Scanlon Associates for comment.