Lufthansa Cancels Hundreds of Flights Amid Strike

Hundreds of flights operated by Lufthansa were canceled as pilots and cabin crew staged a coordinated strike at Germany’s largest airline, intensifying labor tensions and disrupting travel plans for thousands of passengers.

The coordinated strike took place on Thursday, February 12. Pilots represented by Vereinigung Cockpit and cabin crew from the UFO union launched a 24-hour walkout beginning in the early hours of the day, forcing widespread cancellations across Lufthansa’s network.

The walkout affected both domestic and international services, with major hubs including Frankfurt and Munich experiencing widespread cancellations and delays. Lufthansa had advised travelers in advance to check their flight status and, where possible, rebook or delay non-essential journeys. The airline also activated contingency plans to reduce operational disruption, but the scale of the strike forced the cancellation of a significant portion of its scheduled services.

The industrial action reflects long-running disputes between Lufthansa management and employee unions over pay, working conditions and cost-cutting measures. The airline has been under sustained pressure to improve profitability at its core Lufthansa brand, which has struggled with high operating costs compared with low-cost competitors and some international rivals. Management argues that structural reforms are necessary to ensure long-term competitiveness in a challenging aviation market.

Unions representing pilots and cabin crew say their demands center on fair wage increases, improved scheduling conditions and stronger job security protections. They contend that employees have borne the brunt of restructuring efforts in recent years, particularly during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, when thousands of aviation jobs were cut or restructured across Europe.

The strike comes at a sensitive time for Lufthansa, as the airline group seeks to stabilize operations and restore customer confidence following several years of disruption, including pandemic-related travel restrictions, staffing shortages and previous labor disputes. Germany’s aviation sector more broadly has faced higher airport fees, regulatory pressures and volatile fuel costs, further complicating the recovery.

Passengers affected by the cancellations are entitled to rebooking options or refunds under European Union passenger rights regulations. Lufthansa said it is working to accommodate impacted customers as quickly as possible, though further delays and schedule adjustments remain possible if negotiations fail to produce a swift resolution.

The outcome of the labor talks will be closely watched across the European airline industry, where rising wage demands and competitive pressures are shaping a new phase of post-pandemic restructuring and workforce negotiations.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com