Lufthansa passengers face 48 hours of disruption as pilots walk out in the latest stage of a long-running dispute with Europe’s biggest airline.
The strike is planned from midday affecting short and medium-haul flights across Germany until midnight tomorrow (Tuesday).
The industrial action will spread to the German carrier’s long-haul network all tomorrow.
It will be the ninth walkout by pilots since April, with the VC union saying that “despite all efforts for compromise proposals” by pilots during several rounds of negotiations since October, it had been unable to come to a satisfactory agreement with the airline’s management.
The strikes are estimated to have knocked $160 million off the airline’s operating profits so far this year.
Lufthansa asked for new talks and called the strike disproportionate.
The airline wants to phase out its early retirement scheme, something pilots are strongly opposed to.
They are currently able to retire at the age of 55 and receive up to 60% of their pay until the standard retirement age of 65.
Lufthansa said it had made concessions in recent talks, including giving the pilots a 5% pay rise.
“During the strike period disruptions of Lufthansa flights are expected,” the airline said. “Lufthansa is currently working intensely on a special timetable for the strike period.”
Lufthansa Group airlines Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Germanwings, SWISS and Air Dolomiti will not be affected, it said.
The strike has forced Lufthansa to cancel 1,350 flights today and tomorrow. The cancellations will affect 150,000 passengers, the airline said.