 |
Photo courtesy of Yonhap News |
[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] Lufthansa is set to face widespread flight disruptions as its cabin crew prepare to strike on April 15–16 (local time), following an earlier walkout by pilots.
According to Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung on April 14, the cabin crew union UFO announced the two-day strike, with plans to stage a protest at Frankfurt Airport on April 15 to coincide with the airline’s 100th anniversary event attended by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Joachim Vázquez Bürger, head of the UFO union, said the protest aims to highlight “how management operates and who bears the burden” at a time when the company is celebrating with the federal government.
Meanwhile, the pilots’ union Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) began its strike on April 13, leading to the cancellation of approximately 1,100 flights at Frankfurt Airport alone over two days.
Pilots are demanding a tripling of employer contributions to retirement pensions, while cabin crew are calling for reduced working hours and opposing restructuring plans at subsidiary CityLine.
This marks the third pilot strike and the second cabin crew strike at Lufthansa this year. However, management has taken a firm stance, arguing that pilot compensation is already among the highest in the industry, raising concerns that the labor dispute could be prolonged.
CEO Carsten Spohr told FAZ that “it is better to endure a few days of reduced operations due to strikes than to permanently weaken the core Lufthansa brand,” signaling that the company is unlikely to concede to union demands.
알파경제 Kim Jisun Reporter(stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
