Lufthansa Crew Strike Set to Cancel More Than 500 Flights
(Bloomberg) — Air travelers in Germany faced severe disruptions on Friday as a strike at Deutsche Lufthansa AG led to hundreds of flight cancellations at major hubs as people returned from the Easter holiday.
The UFO union on Friday called for a one-day strike for cabin crew at Lufthansa and regional carrier Lufthansa CityLine, which would affect departures at German airports. The fallout could result in more than 520 flight cancellations and will affect around 90,000 passengers, according to airport industry group ADV.
“We are aware that this may cause disruptions for people returning from holiday, and we clearly regret this,” said UFO president Joachim Vázquez Bürger. “However, this situation could have been prevented; the responsibility lies with Lufthansa, which has so far failed to provide a negotiable offer.”
The latest dispute follows other strikes in Europe’s largest economy this year, including two pilot strikes and a one-day closure of Berlin airport. Lufthansa aims to mitigate the impact by adding flights to other group airlines, such as Austrian Airlines, and by deploying larger aircraft.
Lufthansa said its parent airline expects to offer more than a third of its originally planned flight schedule on Friday and return to generally normal operations on Saturday, with possible disruptions.
The strike came after months of negotiations over a new collective bargaining agreement. The union said Lufthansa had not put forward an offer that could form the basis of negotiations.
The strike at Lufthansa CityLine is tied to a dispute over a plan covering staff severance and protections as the regional unit is set to close.
The subsidiary said on Friday it had reached an agreement with the Ver.di union that runs until 2029 and includes a wage agreement and a broader collective agreement governing crew employment conditions.
Ver.di also said that collective bargaining agreements at Lufthansa CityLine mean a 20% to 35% increase in salaries for cockpit and cabin crew.
For Lufthansa, labor tensions are adding to broader geopolitical pressures on air travel at a time when the company is trying to boost margins in a crowded European market.
“This escalation is irresponsible, especially at a time when we are facing geopolitical challenges such as extreme fluctuations in jet fuel prices and significant uncertainties about the coming months,” Lufthansa board member Michael Niggemann said. he said.
(Updates according to agreement between Lufthansa City and Ver.di union)
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