In Vienna-Schwechat, for example, it is expected that 14 of 20 Eurowings flights to and from Germany will be canceled – i.e. seven outward and seven return flights, said an airport spokesman on APA request. There are also cancellations in Salzburg, Linz and Graz, show the homepages of the federal state airports.
The Lufthansa subsidiary assumed on Tuesday that around half of around 500 flights would be canceled again on Wednesday, the third day of the strike, a spokesman for Eurowings previously said, according to agency reports. About every second flight was canceled on Tuesday. As a result, a good 20,000 passengers were again affected.
Losses are partially compensated
Eurowings compensated and partially compensates for the extensive loss of the 75 aircraft fleet of the flight operations on strike. This works by leasing flights from external airlines such as Air Baltic or TUIfly and using sister companies in the Lufthansa Group.
From and to Vienna-Schwechat, the destinations Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Cologne and Stuttgart will be affected tomorrow. The airport spokesman said that the six flights that should be carried out on Wednesday from the point of view of Tuesday afternoon go (back and forth) to Düsseldorf, Hamburg and Stuttgart.
Vienna Airport recommended travelers to check the status of their booked flight with their airline or tour operator. The Vienna Airport website also provides an overview of current arrivals and departures.
The homepages of Linz and Salzburg airports showed a Eurowings flight to and from Düsseldorf for tomorrow, Wednesday, which was cancelled. In Salzburg, however, there will be an early flight to and from Düsseldorf and an evening flight to and from Hamburg. In Graz, one arrival and one departure from and to Stuttgart are cancelled. In Innsbruck and Klagenfurt, no Eurowings flights will be canceled on Wednesday, as none are scheduled for that day.
Tariff dispute came to a head
The collective bargaining dispute between Eurowings and the German pilots’ union Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) over working time rules has recently come to a head. Management had given VC an ultimatum by Monday evening to end the strike and continue negotiations. Otherwise the employer would withdraw his offer and possibly have to downsize Eurowings Germany flight operations due to high strike costs. The union did not respond, a spokesman said. The tougher rhetoric of the management only fuels the conflict, the employees move closer together. The union spokesman expected a long, hard industrial dispute.
The VC demands longer rest periods and shorter assignments for the approximately 800 cockpit employees because the cockpit staff is overworked. The Eurowings management explained in a letter to the workforce that they had promised to meet around 80 percent of the demands. Nevertheless, there is no willingness to compromise on the part of the VC. Fulfilling the catalog of requirements in full would overtax the airline financially. The strike costs and the VC claims thwarted the growth and would endanger the airline, which competes with low-cost airlines in Europe. “Our company is in a dangerous downward spiral in October 2022,” warned Eurowings boss Jens Bischof.
Eurowings wants to stop the growth of the fleet and workforce in the Eurowings Germany flight operations because of the industrial action by its pilots. The fleet strength planned for 2023 will only comprise 76 aircraft, which is five fewer than previously planned. This will stop the creation of at least 200 additional jobs in the cockpit and cabin with immediate effect, the company said on Tuesday.
Source: Nachrichten
