Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary has reportedly written to every pilot who works for the airline offering them better pay to stay.
The letter comes after a pilot rota crisis forced the airline to cancel thousands of flights.
In the letter Mr O’Leary is said to have asked pilots not to abandon the company and offered them incentives to stay.
He reportedly promised pay rises, a “productivity/loyalty bonus” and “significant improvements” to contracts and career progression.
The promises follow a tumultuous month for the carrier in which it was forced to cancel tens of thousands of flights twice.
The cancellations have disrupted the travel plans of more than 700,000 passengers.
In the letter, reported on and seen by TheJournal.ie, the Ryanair chief executive urges pilots not to ditch the company for “less financially secure/or Brexit challenged airlines”.
The letter reportedly includes a section entitled “Learning from this mistake”.
In it Mr O’Leary pledges that there will be “significant changes to, and investment in, our rostering and pilot career development” over the next six months.
He also offers pilots a bonus of €12,000 (£10,700) and promises he will exceed the pay deals offered by rival airlines.
Near the end of the letter he writes: “If you have or are considering joining one of these less financially secure/or Brexit challenged airlines, I urge you to stay with Ryanair for a brighter better future for you and your family.”
Ryanair says 98% of customers hit by flight cancellations in September and October have been refunded or offered alternative transport.
The company also says the reduced winter schedule will “eliminate all risk of further flight cancellations”.
