Air Travel Disrupted Across Europe

Lufthansa pilots have suspended a four-day walkout which disrupted air travel for thousands of people, agreeing to hold discussions on renewing negotiations this week.

The Associated Press reports that Cockpit union and airline representatives met in a Frankfurt Labor Court for two hours before reaching an agreement to suspend the strike until March 8th. Some 4,000 pilots returned to work on Tuesday.

The strike affected travel for about 10,000 passengers on Lufthansa and Germanwings, a low-cost subsidiary. Lufthansa Cargo pilots also took part in the strike.

The strike began over the pilot's concern that lower-paid crews from the company's smaller airlines would replace them. Court spokesman Frank Woitaschek said in a statement that the suspension of the walkout did not say anything about the its legitimacy.

There were other travel problems in Europe as well. Multiple media sources including USA Today In The Sky reports that French air traffic controllers began a four-day strike on Tuesday which forced the cancellation of hundreds of flights at Paris' two main airports.  They say they are concerned about possible new work rules and a loss of civil service benefits that may result from a planned integration of European air traffic operations.

And British Airways is facing problems as Unite the union said most of BA's cabin crews had voted in favor of a walkout in a long-simmering labor dispute.

FMI: www.lufthansa.com, www.easa.europa.eu/ws_prod/g/g_about.php