Hundreds of Flights Cancelled as Pilots Launch 48-Hour Walkout
Lufthansa has been forced to cancel hundreds of flights due to ongoing labor disputes involving pilots and flight attendants at Germany’s flagship airline.
The pilots’ union, Vereinigung Cockpit, launched a 48-hour strike starting Monday, affecting not only Lufthansa’s main operations but also its cargo division and regional carrier CityLine. Pilots at Eurowings are also participating in the strike on Monday.
Frankfurt Airport, Germany’s busiest airport, recorded around 570 cancelled take-offs and landings, most of them affecting Lufthansa flights. The disruption impacted more than 50,000 passengers.
The airline reported that two-thirds of its short- and medium-haul services and around half of its long-haul flights were grounded. Its subsidiary Eurowings operated just under 60% of its scheduled flights.
The strike was triggered by a dispute over pension arrangements, with Vereinigung Cockpit demanding more than double the current employer contributions from Lufthansa. The airline has called the demand “absurd and unfulfillable.”
Adding to the disruption, the cabin crew union UFO also began a two-day strike from Wednesday, resulting in several consecutive days of industrial action across Lufthansa operations.
However, Lufthansa stated that flights to the Middle East would not be affected due to ongoing regional conflicts involving Iran.
The airline advised passengers to consider exchanging tickets for train vouchers to reduce inconvenience, while criticizing the strikes as unnecessary. Union representatives, meanwhile, blamed management’s refusal to negotiate for the escalation.
This marks the fourth pilot strike involving Lufthansa this year.
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