Ryanair pilots in Belgium have called for a strike from 24 to 26 June (between this Friday and Sunday), the same days as the company's cabin crew are also striking.

The permanent secretary of the Belgian union CNE, Didier Lebbe, told the Belgian agency that he hopes pilots from other European Ryanair bases will join the strike.

The Irish airline will suffer a series of strikes from this Friday, which unite cabin crew from Portugal, Spain, Belgium, Italy and France.

Cabin crews in Portugal will also stop between today and Sunday, as announced by the National Union of Civil Aviation Flight Personnel (SNPVAC). In Spain, strikes were called for the period from June 30 to July 2.

In Italy there will be a strike by Ryanair and Malta Air pilots and employees on 25 June, the day on which Ryanair crew members also stop in France. In the latter country, cabin crew members associated with the SNPNC-FO have already been on strike on 12 and 13 June.

What are the reasons for the strike?

Belgian cabin crew called the strike after negotiations on a new collective agreement failed. According to unions ACV Puls and CNE, the airline's proposals do not comply with Belgian labour legislation.

The two union organisations also denounce the lack of a human resources department based in Belgium, which is attentive to social legislation.

What to do if your flight is cancelled?

If your flight has been affected by a Ryanair strike, you may be entitled to receive compensation in the event of a delay or cancellation, according to the Air Help website. The request must be made directly to the airline.

What is Ryanair saying?

According to Reuters, Ryanair said in a statement fewer than 2% of its 3,000 flights on Friday had so far been affected by the strikes, mainly due to what it described as "minor disruptions" in Belgium.

"Ryanair expects over 98% of its 3,000 daily flights will operate normally on Saturday and Sunday," a figure that included disruptions from strikes by cabin crew and French air-traffic control operators, and from airport staff shortages, it said.

Local media in Belgium said 127 flights at Charleroi airport would be cancelled, affecting 21,000 passengers. Ten additional Ryanair flights per day were set to be cancelled at Brussels airport.