FRANKFURT (dpa-AFX) - Even as Lufthansa marks its 100th anniversary, strikes are looming for the airline. For this Thursday, simultaneous walkouts by both pilots and cabin crew have been announced. Passengers would be hit "extremely hard and disproportionately" by these strikes, which were announced at short notice, Lufthansa said.
Which flights are canceled?
Lufthansa has not yet provided details about Thursday's flight schedule. The airline says it is assessing the impact, according to its website. Guests are being asked to provide their contact information. Affected passengers will in any case be notified automatically.
In principle, the crew unions intend to halt all departures from Germany throughout the day. Pilots are striking at both Lufthansa and Lufthansa Cargo. The UFO cabin crew union has also called for a warning strike at the core Lufthansa company as well as the regional subsidiary Cityline. In addition to the hubs in Frankfurt and Munich, airports in Hamburg, Bremen, Stuttgart, Cologne, Dusseldorf, Berlin, and Hanover will also be directly affected.
How can affected passengers continue their journey?
Lufthansa promises quick assistance to affected passengers and offers free rebooking in the event of cancellations. Domestic German tickets can be converted into train tickets. Lufthansa will also try to rebook passengers onto flights not affected by the strike.
Which airlines are still flying?
Essentially, all airlines not part of the Lufthansa Group are operating as usual. Major providers in Germany include Ryanair, Easyjet, and Condor. However, even within the Lufthansa Group, not all airlines are affected by the strike. Flights operated by foreign affiliates Swiss, Austrian, Ita, and Brussels Airlines, as well as German subsidiaries Eurowings and Discover, are not subject to the strike call. The impact on operations at subsidiary Lufthansa City Airlines remains unclear.
What rights do passengers have?
When a strike involves a carrier's own staff, the airline must compensate passengers for cancellations or significant delays. Depending on the flight distance, compensation ranges from 250 to 600 euros. Airlines are also required to organize alternative transport as quickly as possible, including checking with other airlines or indirect routes. For domestic connections, train tickets are also an option. Passengers who choose not to travel can request a refund of the ticket price. Stranded passengers at the airport are entitled to food and drinks, as well as two free phone calls. If the wait is prolonged, the airline must also pay for hotel accommodation.
What is the strike about?
Officially, around 4,800 pilots are striking for higher employer contributions to company and transitional pensions. Since autumn, a ballot among members has shown a clear majority in favor of industrial action. The union had refrained from striking in recent months. After seven rounds of negotiations, even a final offer from the union VC has, according to their statements, gone unanswered.
The UFO cabin crew union, without a ballot among its nearly 20,000 members, is seeking to force negotiations on collective agreements at the core Lufthansa company and the regional subsidiary Cityline through a warning strike. Around 800 jobs are reportedly at risk there due to corporate strategy. UFO wants to negotiate a collectively agreed social plan, which management has so far refused.
Why is the corporate strategy under criticism?
Flying staff have for years criticized the management's strategy of creating new airlines (AOCs) to put pressure on established carriers and their well-paid jobs. The aim is for passengers to notice as little as possible. From the company's perspective, the core Lufthansa brand is simply too expensive to operate.
The new AOCs are intended to handle tourist flights (Discover) and feeder traffic (City Airlines) more cost-effectively with cheaper crews. New aircraft are also being deployed there, or even transferred from legacy airlines.
The existing regional subsidiary Lufthansa Cityline, with around 30 aircraft, is facing closure. So far, the new companies are relatively small within the group, which has about 740 aircraft. City Airlines currently has 14 planes, while Discover operates 30 medium- and long-haul aircraft in its fleet./ceb/DP/mis
