The Lufthansa pilots and flight attendants’ strike set for Thursday, February 12 will disrupt passenger and cargo flights that depart from German airports. The pilots’ union Vereinigung Cockpit called the 24-hour walkout over a dispute on pension benefits. The union also said the strike will cover Lufthansa Cargo. Travelers and shippers should expect changes across the day, since a one-day stop can affect flights that connect later in the schedule.
Union leaders say pilots want better retirement terms, and Lufthansa says it needs tighter costs as it manages debt. Union president Andreas Pinheiro said, “We deliberately gave Lufthansa several months to come up with a solution,” The union says talks did not reach an agreement, and it decided to move forward with a work stoppage.
“The industrial action affects all flights departing from German airports between 00:01 and 23:59 local time,” says the pilots’ union statement. That window covers the full day, from just after midnight through the last minute before midnight. Passengers should focus on departures from Germany, since the statement describes the strike in terms of flights leaving German airports.
The pilots’ union tied the strike to pension talks that have not produced a deal. Lufthansa pushed back and called the walkout an escalation, and it urged unions to return to talks. Lufthansa also said it plans to rebook passengers where it can, including through other group or partner airlines. Rebooking can mean a new flight time, a different routing, or a seat on another carrier that Lufthansa works with. Travelers can still face delays even after rebooking, since seats can fill fast when many flights cancel at once.
Travelers will likely see the most disruption at major hubs such as Frankfurt Airport and Munich Airport. Many passengers connect through these airports, so a cancellation on one departure can affect later flights that depend on the same aircraft and crew. A canceled early flight can also create gaps for aircraft that would have operated later trips. Lufthansa has already listed many cancellations on key routes, so passengers may see changes before they arrive at the airport.
Cargo customers also face disruption because the pilots’ union said the strike will cover Lufthansa Cargo. Cargo flights often run on tight timelines that connect factories, warehouses, and delivery hubs. A one-day pause can shift shipments to later flights and add delays in sorting and delivery. Shippers may also need new routing if they planned to move freight through Germany on that day.
CityLine cabin crew joins in strike amid job cut plans
The cabin crew union UFO also called on staff at Lufthansa CityLine to strike. The union tied this step to the airline’s plan to end CityLine flight operations and shift flying to Lufthansa City Airlines. UFO said it took this step “in view of the publicly announced closure of Lufthansa CityLine’s flight operations and the employer’s continued refusal to negotiate a collective social plan.” This dispute adds another layer of pressure, since cabin crew action can affect staffing and scheduling even when aircraft remain available.
This labor fight sits next to a wider cost plan Lufthansa set in recent months. Lufthansa has said it will cut 4,000 jobs by 2030 and use more digital tools, including AI, in many office roles. These plans can raise concerns among employees, since job cuts and work changes can affect long-term income and career stability. These plans also connect to the broader message Lufthansa gives in this dispute, since management links cost control to company finances.
Lufthansa has also dealt with other pressures that have squeezed results, including delivery delays and higher costs. Management has tied its cost push to the need to protect the company’s finances and keep the network stable through the next few years. Union leaders say pilots want better retirement terms, and Lufthansa says it needs tighter costs. The strike on Thursday, February 12 brings these two positions into direct conflict, and passengers and cargo customers will feel the effects first through cancellations, changes, and delays.
Attribution: Airways Magazine
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