Protesters block first Ryanair departure from Copenhagen

COPENHAGEN, March 18 (Reuters) - Workers surrounded a Ryanair plane that was due to take off on the company's first flight from Copenhagen to Dublin on Wednesday, forcing it to stay on the runway in a protest over employment terms.

Police told the staff to leave, but the protesters, waving Danish flags, were still holding their positions by 5.30 p.m. (1630 GMT), two hours after the plane's planned departure.

The dispute has been rumbling since Ryanair announced the new routes in October from Copenhagen to Dublin, London, Warsaw and Milan.

Trade unions argue their workers should be treated under Danish employment rules, generous by most European standards, while the low-cost airline said Irish rules apply.

Passengers were not able to board the flight, airport officals said.

Ryanair officials in Copenhagen and Dublin were not immediately available for comment. (Reporting by Alexander Tange and Sabina Zawadzki in Copenhagen; additional reporting by Conor Humphries in Dublin; Editing by Andrew Heavens)