Ground staff for Germany’s Lufthansa airline went on strike at five major German airports on Wednesday, causing the cancellation of hundreds of flights. The strike, called by the Ver.di union, affected Frankfurt and Munich, which are Lufthansa’s main hubs, as well as Berlin, Duesseldorf, and Hamburg. The strike lasted for 27 hours, starting at 4 a.m. on Wednesday.
Lufthansa had anticipated being able to operate only around 10-20 percent of all planned flights during the strike. The airline offered passengers the option to rebook their tickets free of charge, and domestic flights within Germany could be converted to rail vouchers. However, more than 100,000 people were expected to have to change their travel plans due to the cancellations.
In Frankfurt, Lufthansa canceled 80-90 percent of the planned 600 departures and arrivals by itself and its subsidiary Air Dolomiti. Munich Airport also saw more than 400 departures and arrivals being canceled. All Lufthansa departures from Berlin and Hamburg were canceled, as well as most domestic flights from Duesseldorf. Fortunately, Lufthansa unit Eurowings was not affected by the strike.
The strike was a result of the union’s demand for a 12.5 percent pay raise or a minimum increase of 500 euros ($539) per month for nearly 25,000 employees, including check-in, aircraft handling, maintenance, and freight staff. In Germany, hours-long or one-day “warning strikes” are common tactics used during contract negotiations.
Unfortunately, this strike coincided with contract negotiations in the rail, air, and local transport sectors, resulting in multiple walkouts in recent weeks. This has made it a frustrating period for travelers and commuters in Germany.
Overall, the strike by Lufthansa’s ground staff caused significant disruptions to the airline’s operations and inconvenienced thousands of passengers. The ongoing contract negotiations and strikes in various sectors have added to the frustration for travelers and commuters in Germany.
