Lufthansa two-day pilot strike set to cancel hundreds of flights

[FRANKFURT] Lufthansa faces another two-day pilot strike over pensions, threatening fresh travel disruption just days after a cabin crew walkout ended.

The German pilots’ union and professional association Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) has called on pilots to strike from 0.01 am on Apr 13 to midnight on Apr 14.

The action covers Lufthansa’s mainline airline, cargo unit and regional carrier CityLine. Pilots at its low-cost unit Eurowings are set to walk out only on Monday (Apr 13).

Flights from Germany to several Middle Eastern destinations are exempt due to the current conflict in the region, the union said. 

The airline’s shares dropped as much as 4.1 per cent in early Frankfurt trading on Monday.

The walkout comes after months of stalled negotiations over pension payments. The union is demanding higher company contributions, but Lufthansa said that there was little room for increases. 

Executive board member Michael Niggemann said: “The VC union is striking at Lufthansa Classic and Cargo to demand a doubling of an already excellent pension plan.

“And, this, at a time of global political tensions and major risks to our business, is irresponsible.”

VC argued that the company has failed to present viable offers. The union said that there was no proposal for a new pension plan at Lufthansa and Lufthansa Cargo, no workable pay deal at CityLine and that the Eurowings offer was “unacceptable”.

SEE ALSO

Tata Group chair tells workers Air India faces challenging time

Cathay Pacific to cut flights from mid-May to end-June as jet fuel prices surge

The strike added to a wave of labour unrest at Europe’s largest aviation group.

Earlier stoppages this year, including a one-day pilot strike in February that grounded about 800 flights and a two-day walkout in March, have already disrupted operations, along with a recent cabin crew strike over the busy Easter travel period.

The renewed tensions come at a difficult time for Lufthansa, which is grappling with high fuel costs and broader geopolitical uncertainty affecting air travel.

The airline is trying to boost profitability with a plan to cut 4,000 administrative jobs by 2030.

It is also seeking to move more short-haul flying to lower-cost units such as City Airlines and Discover, where crew costs are as much as 40 per cent lower than at the Lufthansa flagship airline. BLOOMBERG