Lufthansa flights Dublin to Frankfurt LH983@05.15, LH977@08.30, LH979@11.50, inbound flights LH976, LH978, EI651 and two inbound Hamburg to Dublin flights EI393 and FR5126 have been cancelled today due to a strike by members of the Verdi trade union in Germany. EI2349 Zurich to Dublin has also been cancelled.
Lufthansa, the most impacted airline by the strikes, is facing disruptions as 1,000 flights per day are expected to be cancelled affecting around 200,000 passengers during the strikes conducted by Lufthansa ground staff.
The strikes by the ground staff are scheduled from 8 pm on Wednesday until 10 pm on Thursday, while security staff strikes are set from 10 pm on Wednesday until 10 pm on Thursday, leading to processing limitations affecting departing flights.
Germany’s long-distance and regional train services will also face disruptions as the strikes by GDL union are scheduled from 2 am on Thursday until 1 pm on Friday, leading to unreliability in rail travel.
The strike action is a response to ongoing disputes between transport workers and companies in Germany, with demands for pay raises, reduction of working hours from 38 to 35 per week without pay cuts, and improved working conditions. The Ver.di union seeks a 12.5% pay raise, or at least €500 more per month, in negotiations for nearly 25,000 Lufthansa ground workers including check-in, aircraft handling, maintenance and freight staff.
The strikes are meant to increase pressure on Lufthansa ahead of upcoming collective bargaining negotiations, as union representatives criticize the company’s high profit margins and the disparity between board member bonuses and ground staff wages.
Lufthansa said: “Flights that have been cancelled due to the strike can be rebooked free of charge at http://lufthansa.com, in the Lufthansa app or via the service centres. Due to the strike, the rebooking desks are unfortunately not staffed. If your flight is domestic, you can get a voucher for an equivalent train journey via the Lufthansa website. Under EU rules, you are entitled to a full refund if your flight is cancelled.
Frankfurt airport has said: “We anticipate a massive impact on operations”. However they have not given further details, except to advise passengers to contact Lufthansa. As soon as we obtain more details about these consequences and the particular scenario for the operational day, we will publish an update on our website and social media platforms.”
Hamburg airport said: there will be no departures on Thursday due to the security staff strike. Affected passengers are asked to contact their airline for information about cancellations and rebooking options.”
Munich airport said: “Due to the strike, there will also be considerable restrictions and flight cancellations at Munich Airport. Passengers who are affected by flight cancellations as a result of the Verdi strike will be informed by Lufthansa by email or via the Lufthansa app.”
Berlin Brandenburg airport said passengers should contact Lufthansa to see if their flight is affected.
Dusseldorf airport say they only expect “slight effects” due to the strikes
Aer Lingus notified customers: On 6th, 7th and 8th March 2024, there are planned strikes at some German airports. Passengers may not be able to depart from these airports as a result of this industrial action. If you are due to travel from Germany during this period and your Aer Lingus flight is cancelled, our Customer Care team will contact you directly or through your travel agent. You will have the option to rebook free of charge at a later date, go to ‘manage my booking’ on the website or app, or call one of our customer service agents on (01) 761 7834 from Ireland. Customers travelling from a German airport during this time are advised to check their flight status on web and app before travelling to the airport.
