In Spain, a landmark agreement has been reached between Ryanair and the Sepla pilots association, marking the first formal collective deal for pilots within the country. The accord embeds a structured pay plan, including annual salary increases of 2.8% to 3% beginning in 2024, and extends these increments across three of the four years of the contract, which runs through March 2027. While salaries will be temporarily frozen for the current year, the package introduces a new, experience-based pay framework for both captains and co-pilots, tailored to the base of operation and the specific airline division. The arrangement benefits roughly 900 pilots employed across Spain, consolidating a modernization of compensation and progression pathways within the Ryanair network in the region.
Over the next four years, the deal also specifies periods of days off and a defined training stipend for activities conducted away from base operations. It includes a rotation protocol that allows pilots to alternate between five days on duty and four days off without pay, a model designed to balance workload with rest and professional development, and to align with broader labor and safety considerations in the European aviation sector.
The signing ceremony occurred at the Sepla headquarters in Madrid, with Ryanair’s leadership in attendance, including the CEO, alongside the company’s Human Resources Director and Chief Operating Officer. Representing Sepla, Oscar Sanguino and Fran Gómez, head of Ryanair’s Union Division, participated as the union’s negotiating counterparts. The airline’s leadership framed the agreement as a signal of Ryanair’s long-term commitment to the Spanish economy and to pilots based in Spain, emphasizing that the four-year deal will enhance wages and working conditions for Spanish pilots and create a stable platform for future growth. Sanguino described the deal as historic, highlighting the benefits of greater security and clearer expectations in current and future labor relations, while underscoring that signing marks the beginning of ongoing dialogue rather than the final curtain on negotiations.
Beyond the pilot group, Ryanair remains focused on relations with other unions in Spain. The company has endured sporadic strike actions by cabin crew in the past year, a friction that continues to influence management’s bargaining posture. Ryanair notes that it has previously negotiated agreements with unions in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, and Portugal, as well as with Spain’s CCOO. Management stresses that constructive dialogue is essential to avoiding service disruptions and to sustaining a robust, scalable network, especially as the European aviation market recovers from the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The airline maintains that it has preserved licenses and training standards to position itself as a leader in reconnecting Spain with European destinations and sustaining tourism and business travel connectivity across the continent.
Ryanair has repeatedly framed its Spanish operations as a cornerstone of the airline’s European strategy. The carrier serves as Spain’s largest airline, handling tens of millions of passengers annually and contributing a substantial share to the country’s economy. In recent cycles, Ryanair has supported Spain’s tourism and employment ecosystem by facilitating mobility across major routes and bases, partnering with the broader European network to sustain flight connectivity for business and leisure travel alike. Analysts and industry observers note that the company’s scale and speed in implementing labor agreements are central to its competitive positioning within Europe’s low-cost carrier segment.
Sepla, established in 1965, remains the independent representative body for all pilots employed by Ryanair and other Spanish carriers. With a network of 16 company councils, Sepla’s mandate centers on safeguarding the professional, social, and economic welfare of pilots, as well as promoting flight safety. The association frames its mission around defending the interests of pilots while supporting a safe and efficient aviation system for Spain’s traveling public.