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Advisories have been released for individuals intending to travel to Germany this week due to the cancellation of numerous flights from the nation’s main airports.
On Wednesday, employees of Lufthansa airline at five major airports in Germany went on strike.
The labor union Ver.di has urged ground staff at Frankfurt and Munich, which are Lufthansa’s primary hubs, along with Berlin, Duesseldorf, and Hamburg, to go on a 27-hour strike beginning at 4 am on Wednesday.
Before the strike, Lufthansa stated that it anticipated being able to run approximately 10-20% of its scheduled flights. The company also announced that tickets could be rescheduled at no extra cost and that tickets for domestic flights within Germany could be exchanged for rail vouchers.
The company, Lufthansa, and its subsidiary Air Dolomiti, have canceled 80-90% of their planned 600 departures and arrivals in Frankfurt ahead of the strike, according to German news agency dpa. Additionally, over 400 departures and arrivals at Munich Airport have been canceled as well.
Lufthansa had to cancel all flights departing from Berlin and Hamburg, along with the majority of domestic flights from Duesseldorf. The airline estimated that over 100,000 individuals would need to adjust their travel arrangements.
Eurowings, a subsidiary of Lufthansa, stated that it was not impacted.
The labor union is requesting a 12.5% increase in wages, or a minimum of 500 euros ($539) extra each month, during talks for approximately 25,000 workers. This includes employees in check-in, aircraft handling, maintenance, and freight. In German contract discussions, it is common to use hours-long or one-day “warning strikes” as a strategy.
Recent contract negotiations have led to multiple strikes in the railway, aviation, and public transportation industries, causing inconvenience for travelers and commuters in Germany over the past few weeks.
In July 2022, Lufthansa’s ground staff went on strike during the final round of collective bargaining talks, resulting in significant disruptions to travel.
After that, the biggest economy in Europe has experienced several country-wide strikes that have affected air travel, trains, and public transportation. (Reported by Rachel More; Edited by Himani Sarkar)
The Independent is a British news website that is known for its independent and unbiased reporting.
The Independent is a renowned British news platform recognized for its impartial and objective journalism.
