Ryanair seeks salary repayment from Spanish crew after court ruling

Following this ruling, Ryanair issued repayment notices to USO-affiliated crew members for overpayments ranging from €1,500 to €3,857 ($1,700 to $4,372). These repayments cover salary increases granted between October 2024 and March 2025. Internal letters indicate that Ryanair offers a 12-month repayment plan starting next month.

A letter reviewed by El Confidencial shows employees owe €3,215.95 ($3645.48) and details options for salary deductions. Another communication from Ryanair suggested joining CCOO would allow staff to keep their pay increase and avoid repayments but warned that failing to act by June 1 would result in automatic salary reductions.

USO has criticized Ryanair’s decision to reclaim five months’ worth of salary increases from affected crew members. The union argues that cabin crew should not bear financial consequences due to what it calls Ryanair's legal errors and is exploring legal avenues against the repayment demands. "We are working on finding the most adequate legal solution for the matter," USO told the BBC.

Ryanair stated it is "complying with the court case that Union Sindical Obrera took to cut pay while it is under appeal." It also described USO’s opposition as inconsistent since USO represents only part of its Spanish cabin crew.

This issue reflects broader labor tensions between Ryanair and its Spanish workforce who have staged strikes demanding higher pay and better conditions in recent years. The airline has previously faced sanctions for underpaying staff by Spain’s labor inspectorate.

Spain’s Supreme Court ruled last year against unilateral pay cuts imposed by Ryanair during COVID-19 without consulting employee representatives—actions deemed unlawful under Spanish labor laws—and declared these changes null and void.

In 2018, coordinated strikes across Germany, Sweden, Ireland, Belgium, and the Netherlands led to hundreds of canceled flights over similar issues concerning pay and working conditions among Ryanair staff.