Image: (APA/AFP/CHRISTOF STACHE)
Among other things, connections to Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Mexico and the USA were affected, as can be seen from the Frankfurt Airport departures board, which can be viewed online. The Discover flights planned from Munich were operated by Lufthansa.
The pilots’ union Verband Cockpit (VC) has called on pilots to stop work for 48 hours up to and including Monday evening. The strike has started, VC board member Matthias Baier told dpa on Sunday afternoon. The union wants to evaluate the exact consequences over the course of the week. A high level of participation in the strike was expected.
As Discover Airlines announced, 90 percent of the planned short and medium-haul flights are expected to take place from Frankfurt during the strike. Around 30 percent of connections should be served on long-haul routes. A total of 27 departures are planned from Frankfurt during the strike period. Passengers should check their flight status as regularly as possible.
“We are working hard to find good solutions for our guests,” said the airline. “Nevertheless, we are aware of what the strike means for many people’s travel plans, and we would like to apologize for that.”
It is the third strike after a five-hour warning strike shortly before Christmas and a regular strike lasting a whole day at the end of January, after the pilots voted in favor of strikes in a strike vote.
VC is fighting for an initial collective agreement at the airline, which was founded two and a half years ago and operates a total of 24 aircraft. The union considers the negotiations with the employer to have failed for the time being.
It informed its members on Friday that management had not presented an improved offer in recent discussions. The company continues to adhere to the prerequisite of concluding a so-called social partnership charter before a collective agreement is reached. From the union’s point of view, this would massively restrict the right to strike.
The employer criticized the new strike call. The union had been told that it would submit an improved offer by February 7th, said a spokeswoman for the Lufthansa subsidiary. “The fact that the VC is now calling for a strike for the third time in just a few weeks without waiting for the employer to make a new offer, makes it clear that this is not about good solutions for the employees, but rather other interests are being pursued. ” The union did not want to comment on this allegation.
Lufthansa is currently negotiating working conditions and pay with several groups of employees in different group companies. On the Discover there are conflicts with the pilots and cabin crew. At parent company Lufthansa, flight attendants and ground staff have already threatened warning strikes. In addition, labor disputes at service providers, most recently at security checkpoints and ground services, are restricting air traffic.
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