Lufthansa to run most scheduled flights despite pilot strike

Germany's Lufthansa will operate more than half of its scheduled flights during a planned pilots' strike this week, which comes as the sector faces one of its deepest crises since the pandemic.

The VC union has called walkouts on Lufthansa passenger and cargo flights from German airports on Thursday (March 12) and Friday, raising pressure in a pensions dispute with Lufthansa. It will exempt flights to selected countries in the Middle East due to the situation there.

The Iran war has caused chaos in the aviation sector, with many airlines forced to cancel connections or use alternative routes. Lufthansa is not currently operating flights to airports like Tel Aviv, Dubai or Abu Dhabi.

The flag carrier said more than 50% of flights would be available, including 60% of long-haul routes and 80% of cargo flights.

“We need an offer in which we feel that we are being taken seriously as partners. Then there can also be consultations on this,” said the president of VC (trade union for German pilots), Andreas Pinheiro. He emphasized that the union was not keen to strike nor enjoy doing so, but that it was their only negotiation tool, and they had not received any offers fit for negotiation from Lufthansa so far.

Some stranded passengers at Munich airport expressed inconvenience and anger over the strike and said they did not understand the pilot's motivation.

Lufthansa has described the action as incomprehensible, especially given the new level of geopolitical uncertainty. The union, which argues the company is refusing to discuss substantial improvements to its pension scheme, has said it expects some 300 flight cancellations per day.

-Production: Christine Uyanik, Anja Guder, Frank Simon, Laura Urraca-Makuch/Reuters