AUA flies anyway

Lufthansa ground staff on strike on Wednesday

Lufthansa ground staff are going on strike on Wednesday. The strike will take place in Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg, Berlin and Düsseldorf (see video above). Austrian Airlines (AUA) flights to and from Germany are currently not affected.

The trade union Verdi has called for an all-day warning strike from 4 a.m. on Wednesday. The Lufthansa core company expects that 80 to 90 percent of the flights planned for Wednesday will therefore be canceled. The first cancellations have already been announced for long-haul flights on late Tuesday evening.

Around 100,000 passengers will be affected by the strike. If their flight is canceled, they should not come to the airport, according to the company, as the rebooking counters are not staffed. Lufthansa recommends using free rebooking options on the website, via the app or the service center instead. Tickets for domestic German flights can also be converted into vouchers for rail travel.

AUA announced that, as things stand, none of its flights to and from Germany are affected. However, the flight status should be checked online and passengers can also contact their travel agency.

Union demands wage increase of 12.5 percent
The background to the strike is that the union is demanding a 12.5 percent wage increase or at least 500 euros per month for the approximately 25,000 employees on the ground. The strike is to last one year. There is also to be an inflation compensation bonus of 3,000 euros. "This strike would be unnecessary if Lufthansa were to grant ground staff the same increases as other groups of employees in the Group," said Verdi's chief negotiator Marvin Reschinsky.

According to Lufthansa, it has submitted an offer of 13 percent, but with a term of three years. Inflation compensation bonuses start at 2000 euros. Negotiations will continue in Frankfurt on February 12.