Ryanair said Thursday it has agreed to recognise Ireland-based cabin crew who have union membership, stepping up a drawn-out process to improve workers' conditions and avert strikes.

The no-frills airline said it had signed a deal with the union Forsa, which follows agreements with cabin crew unions in Italy, Germany and the UK.

"We are pleased to sign this cabin crew recognition agreement with Forsa in Ireland," Ryanair's human resources chief Eddie Wilson said in a statement.

"This is a further sign of the progress Ryanair is making with trade unions since our December 2017 decision to recognise unions, with over 65 percent of our cabin crew now covered by recognition agreements."

Wilson added that Ryanair hoped "to sign more agreements in the coming weeks".

Ryanair is also beginning to recognise unions representing pilots, including in Italy where this week a deal was struck on improved working conditions.

It followed a coordinated 24-hour strike by Ryanair pilots earlier this month that caused the cancellation of hundreds of flights, affecting thousands of passengers.