Lufthansa Pilot Union Announces Strike Action

Lufthansa’s pilot union Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) has announced an all-day strike on Tuesday, 8 September, that will affect long-haul passenger flights out of Germany.

The strike will begin from 6 am GMT (8 am Greek time) to 2159 GMT (midnight in Greece). This is the union’s 13th strike in 18 months.

According to reports, the pilot union has called the strike due to a long-running dispute with management over pay, retirement benefits and cost cuts.

Lufthansa has published a special timetable online for its services on Tuesday.

A total of 1,500 passenger flights (including some 170 long-haul services) and seven cargo flights were scheduled to be operated during the planned strike period tomorrow.

In an announcement, Lufthansa said that — with a relatively large number of cockpit personnel indicating their willingness to fly — it will be able to operate more than half of its intercontinental passenger services despite the VC’s strike call.

All in all, 84 long-haul services from or to Frankfurt, Munich or Düsseldorf will have to be cancelled, while 90 such flights can be operated.

Also, the airline said that the willingness of many pilots to work despite the strike call will also permit all seven scheduled cargo flights for Tuesday to be performed. Lufthansa Cargo will thus be able to maintain its full flight program.

Any customers whose flight is cancelled as a result of the strike will be able to rebook or to cancel their booking free of charge or penalty.

Pilots to stage walkout on passenger services on Wednesday, September 9

Later on Monday, the pilots’ union said on its website that short and medium-haul flights departing Germany between 2201 and 2159 (0001 and 2359 Greek time) on Wednesday would also be affected.