Lufthansa has grounded large parts of its flight operations on Thursday as pilots and cabin crew walk off the job in coordinated strikes. The industrial action affects numerous flights of the core Lufthansa brand, its cargo division Lufthansa Cargo, and regional subsidiary CityLine, with departures scheduled from German airports between 12:01 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. The Independent Flight Attendants’ Organisation (Ufo) confirmed that its members are taking part in a parallel warning strike.
Airports in Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin, and other German cities are expected to experience widespread flight cancellations. Disruptions may also extend to Euroairport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg. Lufthansa has not specified the total number of affected flights, though reports indicate the impact will be extensive. Airlines outside the Lufthansa Group, including Ryanair, EasyJet, and Condor, are not affected. Within the group, Swiss, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and ITA Airways will continue operations as normal. Eurowings and Discover are also excluded from the strike.
Lufthansa has stated that affected passengers will be automatically rebooked where alternatives are available. Notifications will be sent by email, and travellers are advised to check flight statuses online before heading to airports. Domestic travellers may also consider train travel as an alternative.
Passengers have clear legal rights during the strike. Because the industrial action is an internal company matter, it is not classified as an “extraordinary circumstance.” Short-notice cancellations or major delays may entitle passengers to compensation ranging from 250 to 600 euros, according to air passenger rights expert Feyza Türkön.
Passengers can also request:
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Free replacement transport or reimbursement of ticket prices
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Alternative connections arranged promptly, including with other airlines
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Catering, hotel accommodation, and communication facilities in case of long waits
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Contract cancellation for delays exceeding five hours
If Lufthansa does not respond promptly, passengers may book replacement flights themselves and claim reimbursement for the cost.
The strike by roughly 4,800 pilots centers on demands for higher employer contributions to the company pension and transitional pension scheme. Members of the Vereinigung Cockpit pilots’ union had voted in favor of strike action last autumn but temporarily suspended it. The cabin crew union Ufo is pressing for new collective agreements for approximately 20,000 employees and a collectively agreed redundancy plan, citing potential job risks at subsidiary CityLine.
Lufthansa management described the strike as a “completely unnecessary escalation,” highlighting the company’s fragile financial situation. The core Lufthansa brand recorded losses last year, prompting a restructuring programme named “Turnaround” aimed at returning the Group to profitability. Updated business figures are expected at the beginning of March.
Travelers are likely to face disruptions throughout the day, with normal flight operations not expected to resume until Friday at the earliest.
