Lufthansa strike grounds hundreds of flights

Hundreds of Lufthansa flights were canceled on February 12 after pilots and cabin crew launched strike action, triggering widespread travel disruption across Germany and international routes, Reuters reported.

Germany’s airport association ADV estimates that more than 460 flights have been cancelled, affecting nearly 70,000 passengers. Departure boards at Frankfurt and Munich, Lufthansa’s main hubs, showed widespread cancellations, including long-haul international routes.

The strike was organized by the pilots’ union VC and the flight attendants’ union UFO. The industrial action comes as Germany hosts major international events, including the Berlinale film festival in Berlin and the Munich Security Conference.

The dispute between pilots and Lufthansa centers on pension benefits. Union members previously voted in favor of strike action to push for improved retirement terms, but negotiations with the airline have so far failed to reach an agreement.

Lufthansa said it would attempt to rebook affected passengers onto alternative flights operated by partner or subsidiary airlines and aims to return to normal operations by Friday.

Separately, cabin crew at Lufthansa’s CityLine unit are protesting plans to shut down flight operations and what unions describe as a refusal by the company to negotiate a social protection plan for employees.

The strike adds pressure on Lufthansa, which has been trying for years to reduce costs at its core airline business.

Stabil.Az