Passengers travelling with Lufthansa on Thursday face significant disruption after the airline’s pilots and cabin crew unions called a coordinated 24-hour strike.
The action, announced on Tuesday by the Vereinigung Cockpit union for pilots and the UFO union for flight attendants, is set to run from 00:01 to 23:59 local time on February 12. It will affect all departures from German airports operated by the main Lufthansa brand, Lufthansa Cargo, and in some cases the short-haul carrier CityLine.
The pilots’ strike stems from a long-running dispute over pension provisions and retirement benefits, following unsuccessful negotiations despite multiple rounds of talks since a strong strike mandate was secured last September.
Cabin crew at CityLine are also involved, protesting planned operational changes and the lack of a collective social plan. Lufthansa has confirmed it is assessing the full impact on its schedule and will notify affected customers automatically. The airline expects major cancellations and delays, particularly at key hubs such as Frankfurt and Munich, with tens of thousands of travellers potentially impacted across Germany and connecting international routes.
Lufthansa as advising passengers to check flight status before heading to the airport and has directed those with bookings to its dedicated irregularity page for rebooking options and further guidance. The strike coincides with ongoing efforts by the carrier to improve efficiency amid broader industry pressures.
