Second Pilot Strike Narrowly Averted

Lufthansa—the German flag-carrier whose name, depending on one’s reference material, means either Swan of the Air, Air Dance, or Air Dancer—has reached an agreement with pilot union leaders, thereby averting a threatened pilot strike. The agreement follows an antecedent work-stoppage that forced the cancellation of hundreds of Lufthansa flights last week.

Vereinigung Cockpit (VC), the union that represents Lufthansa’s pilots, has agreed to the fundamental monetary and quality of life provisions of a new pilot compensation package—the details of which are to be fleshed out in the coming days. In response to rampant global inflation, the union had demanded Lufthansa pilots receive a company-wide, retroactive pay rise of 5.5% from 01 July, as well as an 8.2% pay increase in 2023. Whether or not those demands were met remains unknown.

VC union representative Marcel Groels states: "We are pleased that a result was reached at the negotiating table and that further disruption for customers, employees, and companies could be avoided. Today, important first-steps have been taken towards a long-term cooperation.”

A Lufthansa spokesperson mirrored Herr Groels’s optimism, asserting: "The pilot union Vereinigung Cockpit has called off the strike. This is good news, especially for our customers. Our flights will take place as planned in the coming days. We are pleased that we were able to reach a solution in constructive talks with the Vereinigung Cockpit."

Had the union and airline failed to reach an accord, Lufthansa pilots were slated to strike from 00:01 on Wednesday, 07 September until 23:59 on Thursday, 08 September. Lufthansa’s Cargo pilots were to extend their strike an additional 24-hours, until 23:59 on Friday, 09 September.

Last week’s one-day pilot strike forced Lufthansa to cancel nearly all of its flights to and from Frankfurt (FRA) and Munich (MUC) airports. Flight-tracking data indicates Lufthansa operated only 371 flights on Friday, 02 September—down a staggering 69% from the 1,188 flights the carrier operated the previous Friday. In all, the pilot walk-out saw Lufthansa cancel approximately eight-hundred flights.

Predictably, Lufthansa shares closed in the green following news of the labor agreement and averted strike.

FMI: www.lufthansa.com