Lufthansa, Germany’s flagship carrier has announced the cancellation of all passenger and cargo flights due to the proposed industrial action by pilots.
In July, some staffers of the airline embarked on a strike over pay.
The strike by the pilots is expected to begin on Friday, September 2, 2022.
In a statement on Thursday, September 1, 2022, the airline said its flights from Frankfurt and Munich would be cancelled.
“We hope to get back to negotiations as soon as possible.” the airline said.
Earlier, Vereinigung Cockpit, a union representing Lufthansa pilots had demanded a pay rise for the pilots.
The union had recently vowed to stage a walkout if the airline management rejects its demands.
The union is reported to be demanding a 5.5 percent pay rise this year for its over 5,000 pilots and an automatic above-inflation increase in 2023.
The pilots are also seeking a new pay and holiday structure which the airline acknowledged would increase its staffing costs by about 40 percent, or about £900 million over two years.
Speaking on this, Matthias Baier, the union’s spokesperson said, “We have not received a sufficient offer today either. This is sobering and a missed opportunity.”
Confirming this in its statement, Lufthansa said it “cannot bear the cost increases associated with VC’s demands.”
Recall that in July, some staffers of the airline embarked on a strike over pay. The workers’ action led to the cancellation of more than 1,000 flights.