Lufthansa, the German airline, is bracing for a significant disruption as its cabin crew union has called for a two-day strike. The Independent Flight Attendants Organization (UFO), which represents Lufthansa flight attendants, has urged its members to participate in the strike. The strike will affect all Lufthansa and Lufthansa CityLine flights departing from Frankfurt Airport on Tuesday, March 12th, from 4:00 local time to 23:00, and all flights departing Munich Airport on Wednesday, March 13th, from 4:00 local time to 23:00.
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The call for strike action comes as flight attendants press their demands for higher pay. The union's 19,000 members are seeking a 15% pay increase, plus a one-time €3,000 inflation compensation payment. This demand comes just days after Lufthansa announced its 2023 financial results, whereby the airline roughly doubled its profits year-over-year, to €1.67 billion. The head of the UFO has stated that flight attendants should "be able to benefit from this success," and also stated that the union "deeply regrets" having to do this, and asks passengers to excuse the inconvenience caused.
It is expected that roughly 100,000 passengers will be impacted by the strike. Lufthansa is simply telling customers that the airline is expecting flight disruptions and that customers whose flights are affected by the strike will receive information on cancellation and rebooking options in the coming day. This strike is the latest in a series of strikes to affect the German airline. In the past few weeks, Lufthansa ground workers have gone on strike on three different occasions. Now, flight attendants are also going on strike, adding to the operational disruptions. As new contracts have not been agreed upon with either work group, there seems to be no end in sight for these operational disruptions.
The situation that labor groups at Lufthansa are dealing with is hardly unique, as we're seeing flight attendants in the United States similarly trying to negotiate new contracts. However, it's much more complicated to go on strike in the United States, due to how their laws are set up. Lufthansa is currently facing a challenging period with multiple strikes from different work groups. The upcoming flight attendants' strike is expected to cause significant disruption, affecting thousands of passengers. As negotiations continue, the hope is for a resolution that satisfies all parties involved. Until then, passengers are advised to stay updated on the situation and make necessary arrangements.
