Editor in chief at IamExpat Media
On top of staff shortages, reams of flight cancellations and delays, huge security queues and missing bags, airport bosses have another woe to add to their list as the summer holidays in Germany get into full swing: ground staff at the largest German airline have been called to join a one-day strike on Wednesday, meaning more chaos at airports in Germany.
Ver.di has called on Lufthansa ground staff to strike across the country on Wednesday, July 27, as part of an ongoing dispute over salaries for approximately 20.000 Lufthansa employees.
The strike will begin at 3.45am on Wednesday morning and end at 6am on Thursday, ver.di bosses announced on Monday, meaning passengers with travel plans on Wednesday and Thursday will have to contend with more cancellations and delays. The strike will affect all Lufthansa hubs in Germany, including airports in Frankfurt, Düsseldorf, Cologne, Hamburg, Munich and Berlin.
It’s possible that further Lufthansa strikes might follow this summer, with the board of directors at the “Cockpit Association” union of pilots deciding to put a possible walkout to the ballot. If members agree, another strike might take place as soon as mid-August.
With the weekend just gone expected to be one of the busiest of the season, Germany’s airports are reporting a mixed picture: Frankfurt said that while the airport was busy things were generally working properly. At Cologne / Bonn airport, there were some major problems with the handling of passengers, with long queues reported.