Lufthansa strike grounds hundreds of flights for second day

A pilots’ strike at Lufthansa entered its second day on Tuesday, forcing the cancellation of hundreds of flights at its main hubs in Frankfurt and Munich and disrupting travel plans for thousands of passengers.

In Frankfurt, around 550 flights were affected, according to the pilots’ union Vereinigung Cockpit, News.Az reports, citing Anadolu Agency.

More than 300 flights were canceled in Munich, Lufthansa’s second-largest hub, while approximately 40 departures and arrivals were scrapped in Berlin.

The 48-hour strike, launched by Vereinigung Cockpit on Monday, follows months of stalled negotiations between the airline and pilots over pay and pension terms. The union has accused Lufthansa of failing to present acceptable offers during the talks.

Although the pilots’ strike is set to end at midnight Tuesday, further disruptions are expected. A separate two-day strike by cabin crew is scheduled to begin at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday and continue until shortly before midnight Thursday.

The Independent Flight Attendants’ Organization said the cabin crew walkout will impact all core Lufthansa brand departures from Frankfurt and Munich.

The timing of the strike coincides with Lufthansa’s official centenary ceremony in Frankfurt, which is expected to be attended by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

UFO leader Joachim Vazquez Buerger said the protest was deliberately timed to draw attention during the anniversary event.

“When management joins forces with politicians to celebrate 100 years of Lufthansa, we will make it clear right there under what conditions the employer operates — and at whose expense current decisions are being made,” he said.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev