Pilots at German carrier Lufthansa have announced a 48-hour strike beginning on March 12 amid ongoing disputes over retirement benefits and working conditions.
The German pilots’ union Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) said negotiations with the airline over improvements to pension contributions and employment conditions for around 5,000 pilots failed to produce an agreement. According to the union, seven rounds of talks and mediation efforts ended without a concrete proposal from the company.
The strike is scheduled to start at 00:01 local time on March 12 and end at 23:59 on March 13. Pilots working for the airline’s cargo subsidiary Lufthansa Cargo and regional unit Lufthansa CityLine are also expected to participate.
However, the union announced that certain routes will be exempt from the strike due to the current geopolitical and humanitarian situation in the region. Flights to Egypt, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Yemen, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates will continue operating.
VC President Andreas Pinheiro stated that the union wants to avoid escalating tensions but accused the company of refusing to discuss substantial improvements to the corporate pension system. Meanwhile, Arne Karstens, spokesperson for the union’s collective bargaining commission, said negotiations will not resume until Lufthansa presents a proposal that can be meaningfully negotiated.
A previous 24-hour strike on February 12 forced the cancellation of more than 800 flights and affected around 100,000 passengers. The upcoming 48-hour strike is expected to cause wider disruptions, particularly on flights departing from Germany.
