GERMAN AIRLINE LUFTHANSA has been forced to cancel “a large part” of its 360 scheduled flights in and out of Frankfurt this morning owing to walkouts by cabin staff, the company said.
Primarily affected were domestic and European flights, but a small number of long-haul services was also being hit by knock-on effects, a Lufthansa spokesman said.
Reuters reports some 64 flights have been cancelled by the airline at Frankfurt and stoppages are expected to have an impact on the airline’s global network.
Frankfurt is Lufthansa’s main hub and Europe’s third-busiest airport.
Cabin staff are staging a strike from 3am until 11am on this morning in their fight for higher pay.
Extended industrial action could prove costly for the airline, which already faces strong headwinds from rising fuel prices and fierce competition.
The UFO labour union is seeking a 5 per cent pay rise for cabin staff for 15 months starting from January this year after three years of no increases.
It is also opposed to the use of temporary cabin staff in Lufthansa aircraft.
Lufthansa’s latest offer was for a pay increase of around 3.5 per cent
Additional reporting by Michelle Hennessy
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