Lufthansa Strike: Hundreds of Flights Cancelled Across Germany and Passengers Stranded Tens of thousands of passengers across Germany faced severe travel disruptions on Friday as cabin crew at Lufthansa and its regional subsidiary, Lufthansa CityLine, participated in a day-long strike organized by the UFO union. The industrial action, which began at midnight and lasted until 10pm local time (8pm GMT), led to widespread flight cancellations and stranded travelers at major airports. Frankfurt Airport operator Fraport reported approximately 580 flight cancellations by Friday morning, affecting around 72,000 passengers. These figures, which included all airlines operating at Frankfurt, were expected to rise as the day progressed. The strike also significantly impacted Munich, another key Lufthansa hub, while CityLine cabin crew walked out at nine airports nationwide. The strike marked a sharp contrast to developments at Lufthansa City Airlines, the group’s newest subsidiary, where the rival union Verdi secured the carrier’s first collective wage agreement. The deal, reached after marathon negotiations last week, will increase basic salaries for 500 cockpit and cabin staff by between 20 and 35 percent in three stages through March 2029. Additional benefits include extra days off, more vacation time, improved roster planning, and expanded pension support, according to Verdi. This labor agreement highlights the diverging fortunes of Lufthansa’s subsidiaries, reflecting broader restructuring efforts within the airline group. Lufthansa brand chief Jens Ritter criticized the strike as “completely disproportionate,” emphasizing the negative impact on passengers and the airline’s operations. However, UFO negotiators argued that “escalation was inevitable given stalled talks” between the union and management.#lufthansa_cityline #lufthansa #fraport #ufo #verdi
Pilots' Union at Lufthansa Calls for Strikes on April 13 and 14 Pilots at Lufthansa, along with its subsidiaries Lufthansa Cargo, Lufthansa CityLine, and Eurowings, are set to participate in a two-day strike beginning on April 13 and ending on April 14. The action, organized by the pilots’ union VC, follows a dispute over pension benefits, with the union accusing Lufthansa of failing to offer a satisfactory resolution. The strike will cover flights operated by the affected airlines but will exclude routes to several Middle Eastern countries, including Azerbaijan, Egypt, Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Yemen, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The union’s decision to call the strike comes after multiple failed attempts to reach a compromise during collective bargaining negotiations. VC President Andreas Pinheiro stated that the company’s lack of willingness to address the pilots’ demands has forced the union to take this step. Pinheiro emphasized that the pilots had deliberately avoided strike action during the Easter holiday period, hoping for a resolution, but noted that no meaningful offers had been made by Lufthansa. Lufthansa responded to the strike announcement by condemning the union’s actions as an “escalation” and criticized the demand to “double an already above-average and excellent company pension scheme” as “absurd and unachievable.” The airline’s statement highlighted its commitment to maintaining operational stability while addressing the pilots’ concerns. The strike is expected to disrupt air travel during the specified dates, with affected routes experiencing potential cancellations or delays. The union’s call for action underscores the ongoing tensions between Lufthansa and its workforce over pension reforms, a critical issue in the aviation industry.#lufthansa_cargo #lufthansa_cityline #lufthansa #eurowings #vc
Germany: Lufthansa Pilots' Union Calls for Two-Day Strike Lufthansa pilots are preparing to embark on a two-day strike scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, as announced by the pilot’s trade union on Saturday. The strike, which includes Lufthansa Cargo, Lufthansa Cityline, and Eurowings, is set to begin at 12:01 am on Monday (22:01 UTC on Sunday) and conclude at 23:59 pm on Tuesday. The decision follows a recent one-day strike by Lufthansa cabin crew, which disrupted thousands of passengers and prompted the airline to cancel hundreds of flights. The pilot’s union, the Cockpit Union, cited a lack of willingness from Lufthansa management to resolve ongoing collective bargaining disputes as the primary reason for the strike. Union President Andreas Pinheiro emphasized that despite the company’s decision not to take strike action during the Easter holidays, no serious offers were made to address the workers’ demands. “During this period, there was neither a response nor any discernible willingness to engage in talks on the part of the employers,” Pinheiro stated. The union’s call to action underscores the deepening tensions between the airline and its workforce over unresolved labor issues. The strike follows a similar disruption by Lufthansa’s cabin crew, who walked out for a single day starting at 10:00 pm on Friday. This walkout led to widespread flight cancellations, particularly at Lufthansa’s major hubs in Munich and Frankfurt, as well as other key airports such as Leipzig/Halle, Berlin, and Stuttgart. At Frankfurt’s largest operation, nearly 75% of the 350 scheduled departures were canceled, significantly impacting passenger travel. The airline had to cancel flights in advance to mitigate the effects of the strike, highlighting the operational challenges posed by labor disputes.#lufthansa #cockpit_union #andreas_pinheiro #lufthansa_cargo #lufthansa_cityline
