Frankfurt airport, Germany’s busiest airport, will be closed to departing passengers on Thursday due to a strike by security staff. The strike is part of widespread industrial action affecting public transport as well. Trade union verdi has also called on ground staff at Lufthansa to strike over a current wage dispute involving around 25,000 employees. In addition, train drivers at national rail operator Deutsche Bahn have announced plans to strike for 35 hours on Thursday, further impacting transportation.
In the ongoing wage dispute with Lufthansa, the cabin crew union Ufo is demanding a 15% pay rise for around 18,000 cabin crew members and nearly 1,000 staff at subsidiary Cityline over 18 months. The union is also asking for a €3,000 inflation adjustment bonus and higher bonuses. While strike action may still be prevented, many travellers are expected to be stranded due to disruptions on Thursday and Friday.
Passenger flights are expected to be most affected on these days, with Frankfurt airport recommending passengers to contact their airlines and avoid travelling to the airport. Lufthansa flights are likely to be impacted, but the airline has not yet adjusted its schedule. The strike by Lufthansa ground staff is set to last until Saturday morning, with security staff at Frankfurt and Hamburg also joining in on Thursday.
Deutsche Bahn has also announced plans for renewed strikes in passenger and freight transport. The strike by train drivers is set to start on Thursday for 35 hours, affecting services until Saturday. These strikes add to the disruptions in transportation services across Germany due to ongoing industrial action.
