Cabin crew members at Lufthansa and its regional subsidiary Cityline are set to launch a mass strike on April 15 following the breakdown of negotiations regarding working conditions and wage increases.
Operative Information Center-OMM reports that the decision, prompted by the failure of talks to reach a consensus on salary hikes, is expected to cause significant disruptions to air traffic across Germany.
The industrial action is scheduled to begin at 00:01 local time on April 15 and will conclude at 23:59 on April 16. The strike is projected to primarily impact flights operating out of the airline's major hubs at Frankfurt and Munich airports. Furthermore, Cityline personnel are expected to cease operations at nine airports across Germany.
The timing of the strike coincides with the official ceremony marking Lufthansa's 100th anniversary. The Independent Cabin Crew Organization (UFO) union has announced plans to hold a rally in front of the company's headquarters during the event, which is expected to be attended by Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The German pilots' union, Vereinigung Cockpit, has also called on its members to support the protest.
Negotiations regarding the working conditions of approximately 19,000 cabin crew members remain ongoing. Meanwhile, discussions regarding compensation packages for 800 employees of Cityline, which is being phased out, have also ended without an agreement.
UFO Chairman Joachim Vazquez Burger criticized the management, emphasizing that the strike would demonstrate the reality of the employees' working conditions. Conversely, Lufthansa's Director of Human Resources, Michael Niggemann, condemned the strike action, claiming that current working conditions are excellent and that such disruptions threaten the company's future.
This labor dispute, which intensified on April 10, is being recorded as the company's most prolonged crisis in the last decade. Due to disagreements over pension plans, Lufthansa pilots have gone on strike for the third time, while Eurowings pilots have joined the industrial action for the first time. The unrest has already led to the cancellation of approximately 570 flights at Frankfurt Airport and 720 at Munich Airport, affecting tens of thousands of passengers.
Lufthansa, Germany's flag carrier and one of the largest airline groups in Europe, has faced a series of industrial actions in recent years as unions push for higher wages to combat inflation. These strikes often result in significant financial losses for the aviation sector and cause widespread logistical challenges for international travelers and cargo operations within the European Union.
