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STRIKES

Pilots at German airline Lufthansa suspend strikes through June 2023

Lufthansa pilots will not strike again until at least the end of June next year under a pay deal negotiated with the airline, the two sides said Monday.

Passengers wait at Frankfurt Airport on July 27th during strikes by Lufthansa ground crew.
Passengers wait at Frankfurt Airport on July 27th 2022 during strikes by Lufthansa ground crew. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Frank Rumpenhorst

The agreement “includes a comprehensive peace obligation until 30th June 2023”, with strikes “excluded during this period”, Lufthansa said in a statement.

The airline and the pilots’ union Cockpit signed an accord in early September to avoid planned industrial action.

The deal sees basic pay for pilots at Lufthansa and its cargo subsidiary climb by 980 euros ($993) in two equal steps, once retroactively for August 2022 and again in April 2023.

A rookie copilot will see wages increase by 20 percent under the agreed plan, while the raise for a seasoned pilot will be equivalent to 5.5 percent, according to Lufthansa.

The two sides “will continue their constructive exchange on various topics” while the deal is in place, Lufthansa said.

Beyond the pay agreement, the union was happy to “take a step towards a durable partnership” with the accord, Cockpit boss Marcel Groels said.

During the dispute, pilots walked out for 24 hours at the beginning of September, leading Lufthansa to cancel almost all its flights out of Frankfurt and Munich, its two German hubs.

Lufthansa reached a pay deal with ground staff in early August, after the dispute led to strike action in the peak European holiday season.

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TRAVEL NEWS

Passengers in Germany urged to prepare for crowded airports over holiday weekend

German airports are expecting around 2.5 million passengers to be jetting off around the Whitsun holiday weekend.

Passengers in Germany urged to prepare for crowded airports over holiday weekend

The next major rush after Easter is coming up at German airports.

According to the airport association ADV, more than 2.5 million passengers are set to travel over the Whitsun long weekend. 

Whit Monday or Pfingstmontag on May 20th is a public holiday across Germany, meaning most people have the day off work while shops will be closed. As the holiday falls on Monday, Germans often take a trip to make the most of the long weekend – or even take some annual leave around this time to extend their time off. 

This year’s outlook on air passengers signals a five percent rise compared to last year. “The traffic development over the long Whitsun weekend shows that the desire for holiday travel is unbroken,” said ADV Managing Director Ralph Beisel.

Due to the rush, German airports are advising passengers to allow significantly more time to plan for their travel day.  

“For a relaxed start to their holiday, passengers should not only allow more time on the way to the airport on the day of departure, but also plan a time buffer for their stay at the airport,” said a spokesperson from Munich Airport.

Passengers are advised to check in online before departure and to use online check-in for their luggage along the drop-off counter at the airport if possible.

Airports have also urged people flying to cut down on the amount of hand luggage they take so that going through security is faster. 

Despite rising numbers, air traffic in Germany is recovering more slowly than in the rest of Europe since the Covid pandemic, according to the ADV.

Following the pandemic, location costs in Germany – in particular aviation security fees and air traffic tax – have doubled.

READ ALSO: Everything that changes in Germany in May 2024

“This is not without consequences,” said Beisel, of the ADV. “The high demand for flights from private and business travellers is offset by a weak supply from the airlines.”

READ ALSO: ‘Germany lacks a sensible airline policy’: Is budget air travel declining?

Passenger traffic at Frankfurt airport – Germany’s largest airport – in the first quarter of 2024 was also 15 percent below the pre-coronavirus year 2019.

In addition to snow and ice disruption at the start of the year, air travel from Frankfurt was particularly hit by various strikes, including by Lufthansa staff and other airport employees.

However, Fraport said it had increased its revenue in the first quarter of the year by around 16 percent to €890 million.

READ ALSO: Summer airport strikes in Germany averted as Lufthansa cabin crew reach pay deal

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