Almost 400 cabin crew members working for Ryanair at Budapest’s Ferenc Liszt International Airport (Budapest Airport) have allegedly not received their salaries on time once again, according to the Hungarian aviation trade union LESZ (Légiközlekedési Egyesült Szakszervezet).

The affected employees work for Ryanair and Buzz at the airport, but fall under the supervision of the airline’s Warsaw-based management. The union claims that, despite the salary payment deadline passing on 10 May, none of the workers concerned had received their wages.

According to LESZ, this is already the second such incident within a relatively short period. The union said a similar delay also occurred in November last year.

Union says delayed wages are causing serious hardship

In a strongly worded statement, the union stressed that the delayed salary payments are creating “serious uncertainty” and financial hardship for employees and their families.

“Family mothers. Family fathers. Young workers – people who completed their work throughout the month, yet still did not receive their salaries,” the union wrote in a Facebook post.

LESZ highlighted that cabin crew members continue to carry out their duties professionally despite the situation, ensuring passenger safety and assisting travellers on board flights while simultaneously worrying about how to pay bills or provide for their families.

The union also underlined that the timely payment of wages is a basic employer obligation arising from employment law.



Legal steps already taken

LESZ announced that it has already taken the necessary legal steps and pledged to support the affected employees with every lawful means available.

The organisation criticised the airline’s Warsaw management and questioned how such treatment of workers could still occur at a major international company.

“We are certain that Michael O’Leary would not support the Warsaw management failing to comply with laws protecting employees and pushing working families into uncertainty through delayed wage payments,” the union stated, referring to Michael O’Leary, the CEO of Ryanair.

The union concluded its statement with a blunt message: “Enough is enough.”

What’s next? Could Budapest flights be at risk? Ryanair warns of summer cancellations and cites Hungary as a good example

Flights continue despite ongoing dispute

Despite the tensions, the affected cabin crew members have reportedly continued working and operating flights normally from Budapest Airport.

So far, Ryanair has not publicly commented on the allegations.

If you missed it: Is Wizz Air truly in trouble, or is it all a bluff? Investors dump shares after Ryanair boss’s warning