Berlin Brandenburg Airport has been forced to halt all arriving and departing flights due to a strike by Verdi service workers, leaving 445 flights grounded and thousands of passengers in chaos. The walkout, affecting 2,000 employees, is part of a demand for higher wages and has paralysed the major German air hub, with as many as 57,000 passengers caught up in the disruption.
UK airlines affected include British Airways, easyJet and Ryanair, with 23 flights from London, Manchester, Bristol and Edinburgh cancelled. Passengers are being offered alternative routes or refunds by their airlines, but the disruption could continue as negotiations between unions and bosses are scheduled for March 25.
In a statement, the airport said: 'On Wednesday, 18 March 2026, no scheduled passenger flights will be possible at Berlin Brandenburg Airport. Please contact your airline or tour operator for information on rebooking and alternative travel options.'
Airport boss Aletta von Massenbach criticised the strike as 'disproportionate', especially in light of the tense situation caused by the war in Iran, which has already led to British Airways cancelling flights to Amman, Bahrain, Dubai and Tel Aviv until May 31, and to Doha until April 30.
