Strikes by pilots and cabin crew at Lufthansa have commenced, according to a report by Spiegel, citing confirmation from a spokeswoman for the Ufo union. As a result of the all-day walkouts, hundreds of aircraft operated by Germany’s largest airline are unable to depart. While Lufthansa did not initially provide a precise number of cancellations, it referred to “extensive flight cancellations”.
Departure boards at major airports, including Frankfurt and Berlin, indicate that only a limited number of Lufthansa services are operating as scheduled. The airline has advised passengers to check updates primarily via digital channels and, where possible, to refrain from travelling to the airport without confirmation. Lufthansa has announced large-scale electronic rebooking options. A return to normal flight operations is not expected before Friday, February 13.
According to estimates by the German airport association ADV, cited by Spiegel, more than 460 flights will be cancelled nationwide, affecting approximately 69,000 passengers. Around 4,800 pilots employed by Lufthansa and Lufthansa Cargo are participating in the industrial action, seeking higher employer contributions to company and transitional pension schemes. A ballot held in the autumn resulted in a clear majority voting in favour of strike action. The union had refrained from further industrial action in recent months.
