In a statement published on its coporrate website Ryanair said the agreement would cover all Portuguese pilots it directly employs and that “before the end of October” negotiations would begin with SPAC about working contracts based on Portuguese law.

Ryanair added it had signed agreements with British pilots' union BALPA and Italy's ANPAC. It also expects to reach a deal soon with the Spanish pilot's union, it said.

Cited in the statement, Eddie Wilson, head of human resources for Ryanair, said the deals signed with pilots in Portugal, the United Kingdom and Italy showed significant progress had been made.

“Ryanair’s pilots and cabin crew recognise that they enjoy better pay, better rosters, and significantly better job security than their counterparts at many other EU airlines, and we for our part, are recognising and working with unions to conclude agreements which address the major issues of concern to our pilots and cabin crew in all our major EU markets,” Ryanair he said.