Major Strike Grounds Hundreds of Flights, Strands Passengers
Tens of thousands of passengers across Germany faced heavy disruption on Friday. The action bore out the headline: Major Strike Grounds Hundreds of Flights, Strands Passengers.
Strike impact
Cabin crew at Lufthansa and its regional unit, Lufthansa CityLine, staged a day-long walkout. The industrial action was organised by the UFO union.
The strike ran from midnight until 22:00 local time. That corresponds to 20:00 GMT.
Operations hit at key hubs
Frankfurt and Munich were among the airports most affected. CityLine staff also walked out at nine airports nationwide.
Cancellations and passenger numbers
Frankfurt Airport operator Fraport reported about 580 flight cancellations by Friday morning. Roughly 72,000 passengers were affected at that stage.
Fraport’s figures covered all airlines at the hub, not just Lufthansa. Officials warned numbers could change through the day.
Labour agreements and divergent outcomes
Lufthansa’s newest subsidiary, Lufthansa City Airlines, reached its first collective agreement. The deal was negotiated with the rival union Verdi.
Lufthansa brand chief Jens Ritter called the strike “completely disproportionate.” UFO negotiators said escalation followed stalled talks.
Terms of the City Airlines deal
The agreement followed marathon talks last week. It covers about 500 cockpit and cabin staff.
Basic salaries will rise between 20 and 35 percent in three stages through March 2029. The package also adds more vacation, extra days off, better roster planning and expanded pension support.
Restructuring and staff concerns
The outcome highlights a wider restructuring inside the Lufthansa Group. Mainline Lufthansa runs long-haul and major European routes.
Short-haul feeder flights were historically handled by CityLine. The group plans to close CityLine by year-end and move feeder operations to City Airlines.
City Airlines was founded in 2022 as a cost-efficient response to growing competition in Europe. The planned closure has provoked anger among CityLine staff, who fear job losses and uncertain futures.
Reporting by Filmogaz.com.
