Frankfurt, February 13 - Germany's flagship carrier, Lufthansa, faced major disruption on Thursday as coordinated strikes by pilots and cabin crew led to the cancellation of hundreds of flights. The industrial action, which began at midnight and lasted 24 hours, affected departures from German airports across the airline's mainline operations, regional subsidiary Lufthansa CityLine, and cargo division. Departure boards at key hubs like Frankfurt and Munich displayed widespread cancellations, including numerous long-haul international routes, leaving travelers stranded and forcing many to seek alternative arrangements amid the peak winter travel period.
Lufthansa reported that close to 800 flights were grounded due to the walkout, impacting approximately 100,000 passengers with significant inconvenience to both domestic and overseas journeys. The strikes stemmed from separate but simultaneous disputes: the pilots' union Vereinigung Cockpit focused on demands for improved retirement benefits and pension provisions in an ongoing conflict, while the flight attendants' union UFO sought negotiations on a social plan related to restructuring measures, including the planned shutdown of certain regional operations. These unresolved labor issues escalated into a one-day stoppage despite prior warnings from the airline.
The cancellations highlighted the persistent challenges Lufthansa has encountered in managing costs and workforce relations at its core brand amid competitive pressures in the European aviation market. Operations at major German airports ground to a near halt for Lufthansa services, though flights by partner airlines within the group, such as Austrian Airlines, SWISS, and Eurowings, remained unaffected. Passengers affected by the Lufthansa strike were advised to check rebooking options or refunds through the airline's channels, as the action extended to both passenger and cargo services.
Lufthansa stated that it anticipated resuming a normal flight schedule from Friday onward, with efforts underway to minimize further fallout from the industrial action. The event underscores the vulnerability of air travel to labor disputes in the sector, where pilot and cabin crew strikes can rapidly cascade into large-scale disruptions for global connectivity. Travelers planning trips involving Lufthansa are urged to monitor official updates closely to avoid similar inconveniences in the future.