A PILOT who resigned from budget airline Ryanair after being denied pay rises, promotion and expenses he claimed he was due has been awarded almost £69,000 sterling (€88,000) by an employment tribunal in Scotland.
David Dillon, Queen Victoria Court, Glasgow, had been a cadet pilot with Aer Lingus, but was made redundant following a downturn in trade after 9/11. He was hired by Ryanair with effect from April 1st, 2002, and was later transferred from Dublin to Prestwick in Scotland. His starting salary was £15,814, to increase to £22,000 from April 1st, 2003.
He was to be paid another increase to almost £29,000 on April 1st in his third year, along with annual increments. But Ryanair disputed his starting date and argued that he should not get his increases until he had clocked up two years' and four years' service respectively. The tribunal concluded the dispute should be resolved in Mr Dillon's favour.
After his first year, he expected to be promoted to first officer, receive an increased salary of £22,000 along with a £300 increment and a 3 per cent salary increase which was agreed for pilots with effect from April 1st, 2003. The first pay rise was not forthcoming after his first year, but he eventually received the rise, backdated, when he made representations, but not the £300 increment. However, he said he did not receive subsequent expected salary increases and promotion, and raised the matter with the company. He successfully completed various tests required to become a captain between April and July 2006, but the promotion was not implemented as he refused to sign a bond in relation to training costs. Mr Dillon had decided that he would not sign the bond until his back pay issue was resolved satisfactorily.
Ryanair's director of flight and ground operations, David O'Brien, denied the airline had failed to promote him, insisting he had chosen not to accept the bond, turning down the opportunity of promotion and a pay rise of up to £22,872. He insisted no back pay was due and that Mr Dillon's start date was August 7th, 2002, as a full-time pilot, not April 1st.
Mr Dillon resigned with effect from December 26th, 2006. His salary was £28,456, but he would have earned £54,000 as captain. He told the tribunal he resigned because of Ryanair's treatment of him.
The tribunal held his commencement date had been April 1st, 2002. Tribunal judge Raymond Williamson agreed Mr Dillon was entitled to his increments and promotions, with the exception of captain, on the dates he claimed, and that Ryanair was in breach of contract by failing to promote him at the contractual dates and to pay the relevant salary increases.
It ruled he was entitled to resign and consider himself unfairly dismissed. It awarded him £59,560 compensation for his unfair dismissal and a further £9,402 damages for breach of contract.