Berlin, September 1 (US): Lufthansa (Germany)LHAG.DE) said it would have to cancel 800 flights on Friday, potentially affecting 130,000 passengers, after the pilots’ union announced a one-day strike.
The Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) union said late Wednesday that wage talks had failed and Lufthansa pilots would be on strike for a 24-hour period starting just after midnight Thursday, affecting passenger and freight services, Reuters reported.
Lufthansa said the flight cancellations would affect Frankfurt and Munich airports, adding that many flights would have to be canceled on Thursday.
Venture Capital is calling for a 5.5% pay increase this year for more than 5,000 pilots and automatic inflation compensation after that.
“We hope to return to negotiations as soon as possible,” a Lufthansa spokesman said on Thursday. “However, we cannot afford the cost increases associated with venture capital demands either,” he added.
Strikes and staff shortages have already forced airlines including Lufthansa to cancel thousands of flights this summer and cause hours-long queues at major airports, frustrating holidaymakers wanting to fly after the COVID-19 shutdown.
Lufthansa has already faced a strike this year by security workers and field staff over salary increases.
The airline said it was doing its best to minimize the effects of the pilots’ strike on Friday, but it would not rule out cancellations or delays in some cases over the weekend.
The company’s shares were down 3.5 percent at 0930 GMT.
Michael Nijjemann, Lufthansa’s executive board member responsible for human resources, said the strike was incomprehensible and defended the airline’s “very good and socially balanced” presentation.
Lufthansa is offering a total of 900 euros ($901.35) in base pay per month in two phases over 18 months plus an agreement that guarantees cockpit employees a minimum fleet size.
The German cartel’s office on Thursday also banned Lufthansa from terminating long-term cooperation agreements with charter airline Condor until further notice, saying the national carrier was holding up Condor from competing on long-haul routes.
Lufthansa said it took note of the cartel office’s decision, adding: “However, we do not share the opinion of the Bundescartelamt, and therefore we will submit the decision for judicial review.”