COLOGNE, GERMANY, 2016-Apr-26 — /Travel PR News/ — The Verdi union has called for token strikes in the areas of ground handling, passenger checks and (partly) airport fire services at Frankfurt, Munich, Düsseldorf, Cologne/Bonn, Dortmund and Hanover airports on Wednesday 27 April. As a result, there will be extensive cancellations of flights on Wednesday at Lufthansa’s home Frankfurt and Munich hubs. Disruptions and delays must also be expected at all the airports involved.
The impact of these strikes is likely to vary, given the differing announcements on their lengths and the operations affected at the airports concerned. For Munich Airport, Verdi has called for a full day of strike action, while the Frankfurt strike should end at 15:00. The vague statements about the areas affected – ground handling, passenger checks and airport fire services – add to the difficulties of replanning flights in response.
Based on current information, Lufthansa has issued a special timetable this evening to provide booked travelers with as much of a planning foundation as possible for their Wednesday travel arrangements.
Since an extensive full-day strike must be expected for the airport’s security checks, few passengers from Munich would have a chance of making their flights. In view of this, all intercontinental services from and to Munich on Wednesday 27 April are being cancelled. On German domestic and European routes, too, it will probably be possible to handle only a small number of flights. As a result, Lufthansa will only be able to offer around 90 flights from and to Munich on Wednesday.
In Frankfurt the security checks are likely to be only partially affected by the strike action. As a result, Lufthansa plans to operate most of its international flights from and to Frankfurt, even during the strike period of 04:30 to 15:00. In view of the reduced handling capacity, however, most German domestic services and numerous flights within Europe will also have to be cancelled during the Frankfurt strike period. Lufthansa services from and to Frankfurt should revert to scheduled operation once the strike action ends at 15:00.
Düsseldorf, Cologne/Bonn, Dortmund and Hanover airports will also suffer flight cancellations as a result of the Verdi strike.
The special timetable was due to be published on Lufthansa’s LH.com website at 20:00 this evening. Travelers with a booking for 27 April are urged to check the status of their flight on LH.com. Lufthansa will also be actively informing such travelers of any changes to their flight by email or text message, provided the customer has supplied the relevant contact details.
Customers affected by the cancellation of domestic Lufthansa flights as a result of this strike action will be able to use the rail services of Deutsche Bahn instead. To this end, they can exchange their air ticket for a rail ticket on LH.com or at any check-in desk. Travelers with bookings on any Lufthansa Group airline’s flight to, from or via Frankfurt, Munich, Düsseldorf, Cologne/Bonn, Dortmund or Hanover on 27 April may rebook (once) free of charge, regardless of whether their flight is affected by the Verdi strike action.
“The Wednesday strike called by the Verdi union confirms once again the urgent need for certain ‘rules of play’ on industrial action in the aviation field,” says Dr. Bettina Volkens, Chief Officer Corporate Human Resources & Legal Affairs of Deutsche Lufthansa AG. “We want to see binding mediation or conciliation procedures here before such strike action can be taken.”
“Once again,” Volkens continues, “our travelers will be affected by industrial action that is being taken in connection with collective bargaining negotiations in which Lufthansa is totally uninvolved. This is a clear case of using aviation for token strikes because of its high media profile, and even though the associated negotiations will be continued the very next day.”
Long waits and further travel inconveniences can be expected at Frankfurt and other German airports as a result of the Verdi strike. The usual care and assistance services may also be unavailable to their full extent. In view of these regrettable circumstances, Lufthansa advises travelers with restricted mobility to rearrange their travel if possible and rebook their flight accordingly free of charge.
Deutsche Lufthansa AG
Lufthansa Group Media Relations