Lufthansa Pilots Launch 48-Hour Strike Over Pension Dispute
Passengers travelling with Lufthansa and its subsidiary Lufthansa CityLine are being urged to prepare for major disruption at key German airports this week. The warning comes after the pilots' union Verinigung Cockpit (VC) announced a sudden 48-hour strike, set to take place on Thursday, 12 March and Friday, 13 March.
Failed Negotiations Trigger Walkout
The industrial action has been triggered by what the union describes as 'failed negotiations' over a new collective agreement covering pension schemes. This marks the second strike in recent weeks, following a one-day walkout on 12 February that forced Lufthansa to cancel approximately 800 flights.
VC has stated that Lufthansa has not presented a new proposal since the previous strike, leaving negotiations at an impasse. The union's decision to escalate the dispute comes despite ongoing challenges facing the aviation industry.
Lufthansa's Contingency Plans
In response to the strike action, Lufthansa has outlined its contingency measures. The airline expects to operate more than half of its originally planned schedule during the two-day strike period, including 60 per cent of long-haul flights.
The carrier plans to deploy larger aircraft on key routes while relying on other carriers within the Lufthansa group and partner airlines to operate some services from its main hubs in Frankfurt and Munich. Regional subsidiary Lufthansa CityLine is expected to operate 'almost its entire flight programme' on Friday, while Lufthansa City Airlines plans to run all scheduled services across both days.
Airline Criticises Strike Timing
Lufthansa has strongly criticised the timing of the strike, noting that airlines are already dealing with the effects of the war in the Middle East and widespread airspace closures. Michael Niggemann, Lufthansa's executive board member responsible for human resources and legal affairs, described the escalation as 'completely incomprehensible' given the current geopolitical uncertainty and its impact on air passengers.
However, VC has clarified that the strike will not apply to Lufthansa flights to the Middle East. Most of the airline's services to the region remain suspended, with the exception of flights to Riyadh. Routes to destinations including Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Amman are currently cancelled until Sunday, 15 March, according to the airline's latest update.
Passenger Communication and Recovery
Lufthansa has stated that passengers affected by cancellations or re-bookings will be contacted directly by email. The airline expects operations to 'largely return' to normal from Saturday, 14 March, allowing for a gradual recovery of services across its network.
The disruption comes at a challenging time for European travel, with travellers heading to and from Belgium also facing significant disruption due to nationwide strikes affecting rail services and flights. Rail workers have been striking since Sunday, 8 March in protest of the government's labour and pensions reforms, with a nationwide strike scheduled for Thursday, 12 March expected to cause further disruption to flights.
As passengers navigate these challenges, airlines and airports across Europe are working to minimise the impact on travellers while addressing the underlying disputes that have led to this wave of industrial action.
