As of: January 31, 2024, 3:01 p.m
By: Franziska Kaindl
Comments
Press
Split
Security forces are stopping work at almost all German airports.
In the event of flight cancellations or delays, travelers are entitled to alternative transport.
There will be a strike at several German airports on Thursday (January 31st).
This time around 25,000 employees in the aviation security sector have been asked to stop work by the Verdi union.
This refers to the employees who are responsible for checking passengers, goods or cargo.
Without appropriate personnel in the security areas, operations at some airports are not possible - and travelers have to expect numerous cancellations.
Not all airports are affected by the security forces' warning strike
Security staff have stopped work at some German airports.
© Political Moments/Imago
No passenger flights will take off at the airports in Berlin and Hamburg on Thursday, as the airport companies announced, according to the
German Press Agency (dpa)
.
This means there will be no more than 170 take-offs at Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) and 126 departures in Hamburg - and air traffic will likely be paralyzed in large parts of Germany.
According to Verdi, there are also strikes in Bremen, Hanover, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Leipzig, Dresden, Erfurt, Frankfurt am Main and Stuttgart.
The airports in Munich and Nuremberg remain unaffected by the work stoppages, as the press spokespersons for the respective airports
told the
T-Online portal.
There is therefore the possibility that aircraft will switch from Frankfurt to Nuremberg to land.
There are no strikes in Bavaria because a different tariff structure applies than in the other federal states.
Is there compensation for canceled flights?
The strike is expected to affect thousands of passengers due to flight cancellations and longer waiting times.
In addition: “As this is a strike by airport staff, affected passengers are not entitled to compensation in accordance with the European Air Passenger Rights Regulation,” says aviation law expert Nina Staub from the air passenger rights portal
AirHelp
.
“If there were comparable strike actions by airline staff, whether announced or spontaneous, this would look different.”
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Alternative transport or your money back: the rights of passengers
Nevertheless, passengers affected by delays or cancellations are entitled to compensation - for example alternative transport or a full refund of the flight price.
The airlines usually offer an alternative flight to which customers can rebook.
“If the airline does not act on its own initiative or cannot offer suitable alternative transport, the affected passengers can look for an alternative themselves and charge the airline the costs,” says passenger rights expert Staub.
In order for the refund to work, those affected should not change their booking to a bus, train or another flight without consulting the airline.
If the flight is delayed for more than five hours, travelers are entitled to a full refund of the ticket price.
If there is a delay of more than two hours, the operating airline must provide meals and drinks to passengers.
The airline may also be obliged to pay for accommodation and transport if this is necessary.
“We advise all passengers to save every receipt in order to be able to obtain reimbursement from the airlines for the costs of food, refreshments, substitute travel and accommodation,” says Staub.