RYANAIR HAS BANNED the media from its annual general meeting this month.

In a statement released yesterday, the airline said it had advised all relevant financial media that there will be “no press invited or admitted to the meeting and no press briefing afterwards”.

“We wish to allow shareholders to discuss all matters freely with the board without these discussions being distorted for PR purposes.”

Last year the airline’s AGM took place days after it had announced the cancellation of thousands of flights because of mismanagement of pilots’ annual leave.

The decision to keep media out of its AGM this year comes amid industrial disputes with pilots and cabin crew across Europe. Yesterday unions representing staff in Germany called for a strike over pay and working conditions.

Unions in Belgium, Holland, Italy and Spain also last week threatened “the biggest strike action the company has ever seen”. The unions said this walk-out could be called off if the meeting of shareholders at the AGM on 20 September meet their demands.

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There was a resolution to the dispute between the company and some of its pilots in Ireland, however, when they voted unanimously in favour of accepting an agreement on Wednesday.

The proposed agreement covers base transfers, command upgrades and related seniority principles and was the result of mediated talks.