- Title: LUFTHANSA-STRIKES Lufthansa cancels 750 flights due to pilots' strike
- Date: 18th March 2015
- Summary: MUNICH, GERMANY (MARCH 18, 2015) (REUTERS) RUNWAY AT MUNICH AIRPORT PARKED LUFTHANSA PLANES CONTROL TOWER AND RUNWAY CONTROL TOWER LUFTHANSA PLANE ROLLING PARKED LUFTHANSA PLANES LUFTHANSA PLANE ROLLING VARIOUS OF PARKED LUFTHANSA PLANES RUNWAY VARIOUS OF DEPARTURES BOARD SHOWING CANCELLED FLIGHTS VARIOUS OF CHECK-IN MACHINES SUITCASES PASSENGER USING MOBILE PHONE CHECK-IN HALL PASSENGERS AT CHECK-IN COUNTER PASSENGER PULLING SUITCASE CHECK-IN MACHINES VARIOUS OF DEPARTURES BOARD (SOUNDBITE) (German) PASSENGER, ELKE MARTEN, SAYING: "I needed to go to Bremen and yesterday my booking was transferred to KLM (Royal Dutch Airlines). But in Amsterdam they didn't reserve a seat for me to Bremen and now I will cancel the flight. Now I have to stay there." (SOUNDBITE) (German) PASSENGER, FLORIAN HAPBERG, SAYING: "I am affected, at least indirectly. My return flight has been cancelled. Now I have to travel back from Cologne by train. It will be really crowded. I have relatively little sympathy, when you see the pilots' starting point for why they are striking. It affects so many people. I don't think it is fair." (SOUNDBITE) (German) PASSENGER, ERMELINDE NIKOLAI, SAYING: "Yes actually, I do have some sympathy. I think they have to go through a lot of stress. And I think it is justified that they can retire early. That is what I think." PASSENGER WAITING IN FRONT OF DEPARTURES BOARD
- Embargoed: 2nd April 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Germany
- Country: Germany
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA2Z0UUXGICPLK8SCH6XHKIOUWQ
- Story Text: Lufthansa planes remained grounded at Munich airport on Wednesday (March 18) morning as pilots started the first of two days of strike action in an attempt to bring an end to a row over early retirement benefits that has been running for two years.
Lufthansa has cancelled 750 flights out of a scheduled 1,400 on Wednesday and is due to announce plans for Thursday (March 19) during the course of the day.
Wednesday's strike, affecting short- and medium-haul flights at the carrier's namesake brand, is the second this year and the twelfth in total in a row over early retirement benefits and low-cost expansion at the airline.
The pilots want Lufthansa to agree to mediation covering early retirement benefits and other outstanding pay and cost-cutting issues, but Lufthansa has rejected this, saying it will grow fleet and staff numbers at its main passenger operations only if employees agree to concessions.
Passengers at Munich airport were left stranded or forced to arrange alternative transport.
"I needed to go to Bremen and yesterday my booking was transferred to KLM (Royal Dutch Airlines). But in Amsterdam they didn't reserve a seat for me to Bremen and now I will cancel the flight. Now I have to stay there," passenger Elke Marten said.
"I am affected, at least indirectly. My return flight has been cancelled. Now I have to travel back from Cologne by train. It will be really crowded. I have relatively little sympathy, when you see the pilots' starting point for why they are striking. It affects so many people. I don't think it is fair," another passenger, Florian Hapberg, said.
Another passenger, Ermelinde Nikolai, said she had some sympathy with the pilots.
"I think they have to go through a lot of stress. And I think it is justified that they can retire early," she said.
Before the strike began, pilots' union Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) announced another walkout on long-haul and cargo flights for Thursday (March 19), a move which Lufthansa said was incomprehensible.
Flights at Lufthansa brands Germanwings, Eurowings, Air Dolomiti, Swiss and Austrian are unaffected by the planned strikes. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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