Lufthansa Flight Disruptions as Pilots and Crew Strike

• Most flights at Lufthansa's Frankfurt and Munich hubs were cancelled for the day, including overseas destinations, with normal operations expected to resume Friday
• Pilots are demanding more generous retirement benefits while Lufthansa, calling its core airline a 'problem child', claims there is no financial leeway for the demands
• Flight attendants at CityLine are separately striking over the planned shutdown of operations and the company's refusal to negotiate a collective social plan

Lufthansa Strike Disrupts Hundreds of Flights

Key Event: Germany's Lufthansa faced major operational disruptions on Thursday, February 12, as pilots and flight attendants staged a coordinated strike, forcing the airline to cancel hundreds of flights.

Impact Scale:

• Over 460 flights cancelled
• Nearly 70,000 passengers affected
• Major disruptions at Frankfurt and Munich hubs, Lufthansa's primary German airports
• Most flights, including international routes, grounded for the day

Strike Details:

The walkout involved two unions: VC (pilots' union) and UFO (flight attendants' union). Pilots from both Lufthansa's core airline and cargo division are demanding more generous retirement benefits and enhanced pension plans. A separate labor action by UFO members at Lufthansa's CityLine subsidiary protested planned operational shutdowns and the company's refusal to negotiate a collective social plan.

Company Position:

Lufthansa, which has characterized its core airline as a "problem child," maintains there is no financial flexibility to meet union demands. The company has struggled for years to control costs at its flagship brand. Talks between management and unions have been intermittent and unproductive since union members voted to authorize strikes last year.

Timing:

The strike coincided with significant events in Germany, including the opening of the Berlinale film festival in Berlin and preparations for the Munich Security Conference starting Friday.

Recovery:

Lufthansa attempted to rebook affected passengers on partner airlines and other group carriers, with normal operations expected to resume Friday, February 13.