Frankfurt: Thousands of passengers faced travel disruption across Germany on Friday as cabin crew of Lufthansa staged a one day strike, forcing cancellations and delays at key airports.
The strike began early in the morning and is expected to last until late evening. It mainly affected Lufthansa’s main hubs in Frankfurt and Munich, along with several other airports where staff from its regional unit CityLine also joined the action.
The walkout was called by the cabin crew union UFO, which represents around 19,000 employees. The union said the strike was necessary after talks with the airline failed to produce a meaningful agreement on working conditions.
Many domestic and short haul flights were cancelled, while some long haul services continued with limited disruption. Passengers were advised to check their flight status before heading to the airport, as the airline worked to adjust schedules and arrange alternative travel.
At the centre of the dispute are concerns over work schedules and job security. The union is demanding more predictable working hours and better notice for shift changes. It has also raised concerns about the future of around 800 CityLine employees, as the airline plans to phase out the unit.
Lufthansa criticised the strike, saying it has caused inconvenience to passengers and could have been avoided. The airline said it remains open to further talks and is trying to minimise the impact by rebooking travellers and operating as many flights as possible.
This is the latest in a series of labour disputes involving Lufthansa in recent months. Repeated strikes by different groups of employees have disrupted travel plans and highlighted ongoing tensions over pay, working conditions and restructuring within the airline.