A further 24 Ryanair flights have been cancelled due to ongoing disruption caused by pilots’ strikes.

The cancellations affect flights between Ireland and the UK on Friday.

Friday marks the second strike by pilots’ union Forsa.

It is planning a third next Tuesday.

Thirty Ryanair flights were cancelled last Thursday, affecting some 5,000 passengers, after Ryanair pilots staged their first strike over pay and their conditions of employment.

Their concerns include a dispute over seniority, as well as the procedures for allocation of base transfers, promotions and annual leave.

The action involved Irish-based pilots directly employed by Ryanair.

The majority of pilots flying Ryanair planes are self-employed, enabling the airline to restrict the impact of the strikes.

As it did last Thursday, Ryanair said it was cancelling high-frequency flights from Ireland to the UK, as it was easier to transfer customers to other scheduled flights.

“We apologise again to these Irish customers for these regrettable and unnecessary disruptions which we have done our utmost to avoid,” said the airline.