Lufthansa passengers also have to expect numerous canceled flights and delays on Friday. At Frankfurt Airport alone, 414 out of 1,362 flights were canceled on the second day of the flight attendant strike, a spokesman for Frankfurt Airport said. In the early morning it is still quiet in the terminals.
According to Lufthansa's special timetable, around 600 flights will be canceled worldwide during the course of the day. Even after strikers on Saturday, some cancellations are still expected because machines and crews are not in the right places. On Thursday, according to a trade union spokesman, 800 flights had already been canceled. Overall, Lufthansa expects 180,000 passengers affected during the 48-hour standoff.
UFO initially waives strikes at Lufthansa subsidiaries
In the current collective bargaining dispute for the approximately 21,000 Lufthansa flight attendants, the union UFO demands higher expenses and allowances as well as better access for seasonal workers to regular employment. For each of the group's four airlines, separate claims were made and ballot votes were held. Lufthansa had already voluntarily implemented a wage increase of two percent.
However, the main issue in the entire conflict is whether UFO can still enforce collective agreements for cabin crew. The talks between UFO and Lufthansa have been resting for months. After an internal dispute, UFO has a new board in office, which the general assembly confirmed in office. Lufthansa is of the opinion that the existing board is not authorized to represent.
After the strike began, Lufthansa nevertheless announced that it was ready to mediate. Exploratory talks on this should start on the weekend. UFO announced that it would participate in the talks - and initially refrained from calling for a stand-by at the Lufthansa subsidiaries.
Lufthansa had previously failed on Wednesday in two courts with the attempt to stop the strike by legal means. Both the Frankfurt Labor Court and the Hessian State Labor Court rejected a restraining order against the UFO strike.
