Lufthansa Pilots Strike Looms

Lufthansa pilots are set to strike on Monday, April 13, and Tuesday, April 14, threatening widespread flight disruptions across Germany and beyond. (vcockpit.de) The pilots’ union Vereinigung Cockpit said the walkout covers Deutsche Lufthansa, Lufthansa Cargo and Lufthansa CityLine for the full two days, from 12:01 a.m. on April 13 to 11:59 p.m. on April 14 local time. Eurowings pilots were also called to strike on April 13 on departures from German airports. (vcockpit.de) Lufthansa has posted a travel notice saying it is trying to keep as many flights operating as possible through other Lufthansa Group airlines and partner carriers. The airline said affected passengers can rebook for a later date or request a refund, and told customers to check booking status if they do not receive a message. (lufthansa.com) The disruption matters beyond Lufthansa’s own network because Frankfurt and Munich are two of Europe’s biggest connecting hubs, and Lufthansa’s flight-status page is already warning of schedule restrictions for April 13 and 14. Travelers connecting between North America, Europe and parts of Asia, the Middle East and Africa could see missed onward flights even if only one segment is canceled. (lufthansa.com) The strike is the latest flare-up in a broader labor fight inside the Lufthansa Group. Vereinigung Cockpit said Lufthansa and Lufthansa Cargo have not presented an offer on company pensions, Lufthansa CityLine has not made what the union called a viable pay offer, and Eurowings’ pension proposal is “inacceptable.” (vcockpit.de) Union president Andreas Pinheiro said the pilots chose not to strike over the Easter holidays and argued management still failed to make a serious proposal. Lufthansa has pushed back in recent coverage, with reports citing the airline as calling the union’s pension demands unrealistic and impossible to finance as presented. (vcockpit.de) (simpleflying.com) Not every route is included. Vereinigung Cockpit said Lufthansa and Lufthansa CityLine flights from Germany to destinations including Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Yemen and Azerbaijan are exempt because of the security situation in the Middle East. (vcockpit.de) For passengers, the practical advice is simple: check the operating carrier, not just the ticket brand, and watch for rebooking messages before leaving for the airport. Lufthansa said its flight-status tool is the same source its service centers use, making it the fastest public check on whether a specific flight is still operating. (lufthansa.com)