Members of Irish pilots union Forsa have voted 94% in favour of taking industrial action against Ryanair in a row over pay. Forsa says it will now write to Ryanair's management next week to give details of industrial action, including strikes, unless the airline agrees to the union's pay proposals by 12 August. The union says that, under pay claims it submitted to the airline in March, Ryanair pilots would receive pay and conditions in line with industry norms. Industrial action could still be avoided if the airline engages constructively in talks, states Forsa assistant general secretary Ian McDonnell. He accuses the company of using stalling tactics to delay negotiations. "Ryanair's directly employed Irish-based pilots are simply seeking pay levels that are common and competitive in the commercial airline sector, from a company that made a more-than-healthy profit of €1 billion last year," he says. "They feel they have been forced into contemplating potentially disruptive industrial action by a company that seems either unwilling or unable to negotiate in a professional and constructive manner. At this stage, only a substantive counter-proposal, which properly addresses all areas of our claim, will be enough to prevent us serving notice of industrial action next week." Ryanair says it is "disappointed" that Forsa pilots are threatening to disrupt customers' travel plans, and argues that the union's motion to strike has the support of less than a quarter of the airline's Irish pilots.

Source: FlightGlobal

Certain Airbus A340-500 and -600 operators are set to be ordered to replace centre landing-gear axles on the type after concerns that a batch underwent improper maintenance treatment. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency says corrosion was discovered on an axle in the wheel interface area during an overhaul. It states that the most likely cause is "non-systematic stripping of chrome" during the overhaul and "insufficient" non-destructive testing. EASA says it has identified a specific batch of affected parts which has been subjected to the "inappropriate" process.

Source: FlightGlobal

French investigators are probing a ground incident during which a ramp worker suffered serious injuries during a pushback operation. The 24 July event occurred at Paris Charles de Gaulle as an Air Canada Boeing 777-300ER was preparing for a service to Toronto. French authority BEA states that part of the towbar fractured and that, when it disconnected from the tractor, the aircraft advanced. The bar, under tension, struck the ramp worker's legs. BEA has not disclosed the extent of injuries, but describes the event as "serious".

Source: FlightGlobal