Lufthansa seeks to run majority of flights despite pilot strike

Deutsche Lufthansa AG is seeking to limit disruption after the pilots union called a two-day strike starting Thursday, relying on partner airlines and volunteer captains to cushion the impact. The carrier will operate more than 50% of its flight schedule on Thursday and Friday, including about 60% of long-haul flights, according to a statement. That’s down to a combination of pilots who have agreed to fly as well as larger aircraft and crew from other airlines within the group and partner carriers. [caption id="attachment_57295840" align="aligncenter" width="1716"] Lufthansa Cargo operates twelve 777Fs. (Courtesy/Lufthansa Cargo)[/caption] Lufthansa’s cargo carrier will be able to fly more than 80% of its program, according to the statement. The strike, called by the Vereinigung Cockpit union, is set to run from March 12 at 00:01 a.m. until March 13 at 11:59 p.m., and affects flights operated by the flagship airline Lufthansa and its cargo carrier departing from German airports. The pilot strike at regional carrier Lufthansa CityLine is only scheduled for Thursday. Flights to the Middle East operated by Lufthansa mainline and Lufthansa CityLine are exempt from strike, it said. “A strike is always a last resort for us and not an end in itself,” said VC President Andreas Pinheiro. “Employers still have the opportunity to avert industrial action by making a negotiable offer.” Lufthansa board member Michael Niggemann earlier called the strike escalation “completely incomprehensible,” saying the flagship airline’s low margins leave no scope for further pension increases. Lufthansa shares fell as much as 3.1% in Wednesday trading in Frankfurt. They have gained 10% over the last 12 months through Tuesday’s close. The labor action follows a one-day walkout in February that led to almost 800 canceled flights and affected about 100,000 passengers. That cost the company about €15 million ($17.4 million), Chief Executive Officer Carsten Spohr said last week. Read: Lufthansa Cancels 800 Flights as Pilots, Crew Go on Strike Negotiations over pilots’ pensions collapsed last year, triggering a strike ballot in September. The union is demanding higher company contributions, while Lufthansa says there is little room for increases. Pilots previously received a guaranteed company pension, which was replaced in 2017 by a capital market-based system that VC says falls “significantly short” of the former plan. Niggemann said that Lufthansa already offers a “very good retirement security both in an internal comparison within the Lufthansa Group and with other airlines, industries, and companies.” For CityLine, the dispute centers on a new collective wage agreement for cockpit staff. While management made an offer in late February, the union said it failed to meet its demands and rejected the call for an “absolute peace obligation.” The renewed labor tensions risk complicating Lufthansa’s efforts to lift profitability. In addition to cutting 4,000 administrative jobs, Lufthansa is shifting more short-haul flying to lower-cost units such as City Airlines and Discover, where crew costs are up to 40% lower than at the mainline carrier. Cargo Facts will present four invaluable events for airfreight professionals in 2026, the next of which is <a class="Hyperlink SCXW113043295 BCX0" style="color: #ff0000;" href="https://cargofactsevents.com/asia/?utm_campaign=22235567-CF%20Asia%202026&utm_source=Editorial&utm_medium=article%20event%20footer&utm_term=CF%20website&utm_content=Learn%20More&utm_source=Weekly+Update+-+Cargo+Facts&utm_campaign=fbe548904b-CF+Update_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_621baa6827-fbe548904b-40083601&mc_cid=fbe548904b&mc_eid=adbe8bb0b4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> Cargo Facts Asia on March 23-25. To see the agendas and register for the events, visit CargoFactsEvents.com .

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