Lufthansa Ground Staff Set for Major Strike; Thousands of Flights at Risk

Lufthansa, a major airline, is set to experience significant flight disruptions later this week. Ground staff are planning to strike over pay issues. The strike will start early on Wednesday, Feb. 7, and last for about 27 hours. This action will affect flights on both Wednesday and Thursday.

Lufthansa Faces Major Strike Disruption This Week

The strike is being organized by the Ver.di union, which represents about 25,000 Lufthansa ground employees in several German cities including Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg, Berlin, and Dusseldorf. This strike is part of a larger wave of labor protests in Germany's transport sector this year. Just last week, there was a strike by airport security workers and another by local public transport staff.

According to Business Travel News Europe, Ver.di is demanding a 12.5 percent pay raise for these employees, or at least an additional €500 per month. The union argues that Lufthansa's ground staff are earning about 10 percent less than they did three years ago, despite the company's strong profits. Marvin Reschinsky, a union negotiator, emphasized that the financial situation for these employees is worsening, despite the company's profit growth.

Lufthansa has acknowledged the upcoming strike and its expected impact on their flight schedule. They have stated that customers affected by flight changes will be notified about cancellations and rebooking options. Notifications were planned to start being sent out on Feb. 5.

This strike adds to the challenges faced by Lufthansa and its passengers, following a recent strike by Deutsche Bahn train drivers which significantly disrupted rail services. While negotiations in that dispute have led to a temporary suspension of further strikes, the current situation with Lufthansa's ground staff remains unresolved.

Lufthansa Flight Diverted Due to Engine Trouble

A Lufthansa Airbus A330 had to make an unexpected return to Frankfurt Airport on Jan. 31, 2024. This happened during its long trip from Germany to Houston, Texas, USA. The flight, known as LH-440, faced engine issues just three hours after takeoff.

As per Simple Flying, the plane, registered as D-AIKQ, was flying over Brest, France, when the problem occurred. Passengers noticed unusual noise and shaking. For safety, the flight crew decided to go back to Frankfurt. Emergency teams were ready when the plane landed. The flight was canceled, and the aircraft has been grounded since then.

The Airbus A330, which is almost 12 years old, has 255 seats and two Rolls-Royce engines. It usually flies long distances, like to Angola and Saudi Arabia. Lufthansa has not set any new flights for this plane as it probably needs engine repairs.

Lufthansa, the airline from Germany, has ten Airbus A330s. They are about 14.6 years old on average. Recently, Lufthansa had other issues too. An A340 had to land urgently after a bird strike, and an A380 changed its path due to a medical emergency. Despite these problems, Lufthansa is bringing more A380s back for busy long-haul routes.