Germany’s leading airline, Lufthansa, grappled with significant disruptions today as ground staff from five major German airports staged a walkout.
The Ver. di union spearheaded the strike, calling upon ground staff at Frankfurt and Munich, Lufthansa’s primary hubs, and Berlin, Duesseldorf, and Hamburg to cease operations for 27 hours, starting at 4 a.m.
Due to the strike action, Lufthansa was forced to cancel hundreds of flights, with only an anticipated 10-20% of all scheduled flights able to proceed during the specified timeframe.
Affected passengers were offered the flexibility to rebook their tickets free of charge, while those holding tickets for German domestic flights could convert them into rail vouchers.
Key details of the disruptions include:
- In Frankfurt, Lufthansa axed 80-90% of the planned 600 departures and arrivals by Lufthansa and its subsidiary, Air Dolomiti, before the strike.
- Munich Airport witnessed over 400 departures and arrivals being cancelled.
- All Lufthansa departures from Berlin and Hamburg were halted, alongside most domestic flights from Duesseldorf.
- The strike prompted more than 100,000 individuals to rearrange their travel plans.
- Fortunately, Lufthansa’s unit, Eurowings, remained unaffected by the strike.
The Ver. di union is pushing for a pay increase of 12.5% (or a minimum of €500 per month) during negotiations with approximately 25,000 employees. These negotiations include check-in staff, aircraft handlers, maintenance personnel, and freight staff.
As a part of their negotiating tactics, the union has been conducting hours-long or one-day “warning strikes,” standard in German contract negotiations. Unfortunately, numerous walkouts have occurred across the rail, air, and local transport sectors due to simultaneous contract discussions. This has caused frustration among commuters and travellers in Germany.
The disruption underscores the critical role of ground staff in ensuring seamless airline operations. Affected passengers are likely grappling with inconvenience, highlighting the ongoing challenges encountered by the aviation industry during labour disputes.
