Ryanair (FR, Dublin International) faces a group legal action in the London Commercial Court after 262 former pilots alleged they were denied statutory employment benefits while working for the Irish low-cost carrier as contractors.

The claim, Phillips and another v. Ryan Air DAC and others (Case No. CL-2026-000429), was filed on July 30, 2026, by former pilot Richard Phillips and 261 other claimants.

The pilots are seeking backdated holiday pay, pension contributions, and other employment rights, arguing they should have been treated as employees rather than self-employed contractors, according to reports by The Telegraph and The Times newspapers.

The lawsuit also names recruitment agencies Storm Global and Brookfield Aviation International, together with Dublin-based tax consultancy Scanlon Associates, which supplied contract pilots to Ryanair.

The case follows a 2025 UK Court of Appeal ruling that found former Ryanair pilot Jason Lutz had been an employee rather than a self-employed contractor during his time with the airline, adding to scrutiny of the carrier's long-standing contractor model.

Phillips' law firm, The Claims Compensation Group, stated: "We can confirm that proceedings have been issued. As this is an ongoing legal matter, it would be inappropriate to comment further."

Ryanair had not replied to a request for comment by the time of publication.