- Title: Strike grounds Lufthansa planes for second day, hits bookings
- Date: 24th November 2016
- Summary: FRANKFURT, GERMANY (NOVEMBER 24, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF GROUNDED LUFTHANSA PLANES FRANKFURT AIRPORT TERMINAL BOARD SHOWING CANCELLED FLIGHTS VARIOUS OF PEOPLE LINING UP AT LUFTHANSA DESK LUFTHANSA SIGN PEOPLE WITH BACKPACKS LUFTHANSA'S CHIEF OFFICER OF HUB MANAGEMENT, HARRY HOHMEISTER, TALKING TO REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (German) LUFTHANSA'S CHIEF OFFICER OF HUB MANAGEMENT, HARRY HOHMEISTER, SAYING (ON EFFECTS OF THE STRIKE): "We are also noticing it in our mid-term booking numbers. It is not only that severe damage is occurring, but also in the mid-term booking numbers we are of course noticing that customer behaviour is changing. On every strike day we will lose on the scale of about ten million euros." CAMERAS (SOUNDBITE) (German) LUFTHANSA'S CHIEF OFFICER OF HUB MANAGEMENT, HARRY HOHMEISTER, SAYING: "It is only worthwhile to make an offer when the process, where this offer should flow out of, is also clear. As long as it's not clear, as (the union) VC is presenting, how we want to go further - and that can, from our view, basically only reasonably be with a conciliator in this state - as long as that is not clear, we cannot reasonably make an offer. On which ground should it fall on?" HOHMEISTER TALKING TO REPORTERS EMPTY LUFTHANSA DESK (SOUNDBITE) (German) EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER OF PILOT'S UNION, 'VEREINIGUNG COCKPIT', JOERG HANDWERG, SAYING: "We are sorry about this, because we also see that our customers are suffering under this strike. That's why we think it is cynical to say it is only about financial damage. We would like to fly, but we also will not stop our tariff work, just because a company board member says he must retreat to a fundamental position." EMPTY SEATS AT LUFTHANSA DESK (SOUNDBITE) (German) EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER OF PILOT'S UNION, 'VEREINIGUNG COCKPIT', JOERG HANDWERG, SAYING: "We frankly expected this aggressive act from Lufthansa. That was already clear to us going into the strike that we would surely again see this complaint go to court. We see this calmly in opposition." MUNICH, GERMANY (NOVEMBER 24, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF BOARD ANNOUNCING CANCELLATIONS DUE TO STRIKE VARIOUS OF PASSENGERS UNHAPPILY LOOKING AT BOARD BOARD SHOWING CANCELLATIONS (SOUNDBITE) (German) TRAVELLER, BARBARA CLINGAN, SAYING: "I think the gentlemen should slowly consider what they earn, even if it is a great responsibility. But I believe now my patience is slowly ending. I've been flying for years, but this is unbelievable. No, no more understanding." (SOUNDBITE) (German) TRAVELLER, ULRIKE ERBERTSAEDER, SAYING: "Well, I am very annoyed, I have to say. No understanding at all. Now we are not frequent flyers, but if we do fly at times and it's such a chaos, that is very aggravating." (SOUNDBITE) (German) TRAVELLER, JOERN MUELLER, SAYING: "What annoys me the most is that everything is so spontaneous, you can't make any plans. That it doesn't mean that, for example, 'In three days we will cancel this and this flight,' rather from hour to hour basically passengers are being told they now cannot fly. And then it is up to them to take care of a new flight." BOARD READING (English): "CANCELLED" BOARD / TERMINAL
- Embargoed: 9th December 2016 12:09
- Keywords: Lufthansa Eurowings strike pilots union crew
- Location: FRANKFURT & MUNICH, GERMANY
- City: FRANKFURT & MUNICH, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Company News Markets,Economic Events
- Reuters ID: LVA00159SZJ9J
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:A walkout by Lufthansa pilots that has led to almost 2,000 flight cancellations has cost the German airline about 20 million euros ($21 million) over two days and weighed on its mid-term bookings, a board member said on Thursday (November 24).
The walkout began at midnight on Wednesday (November 23) and was due to run until Friday (November 25), ratcheting up pressure on management in a long-running pay dispute and threatening further disruptions for travellers.
"It is not only that severe damage is occurring, but also in the mid-term booking numbers we are of course noticing that customer behaviour is changing. On every strike day we will lose on the scale of about ten million euros," Harry Hohmeister, chief officer of Lufthansa's Hub Management, said.
Lufthansa has cancelled 1,800 flights, or just under a third of scheduled services, for Wednesday and Thursday, disrupting the plans of over 215,000 travellers.
"We are sorry about this, because we also see that our customers are suffering under this strike. That's why we think it is cynical to say it is only about financial damage. We would like to fly, but we also will not stop our tariff work, just because a company board member says he must retreat to a fundamental position," Joerg Handwerg, of the pilot's union Vereinigung Cockpit, said.
Friday's strike affects short-haul flights only and the company said it will publish details of Friday's cancellations by midday on Thursday.
Travellers at Munich airport who were left stranded said they had run out of understanding for Lufthansa and the union, with this being the 14th walkout since early 2014.
Pilot strikes in 2014 cost Lufthansa 222 million euros, roughly 21 million euros per day, according to the IW Cologne Institute for Economic Research. In 2015, walkouts by pilots and cabin crew cost it 231 million euros, around 30 million per day.
The union, which fears a race to the bottom in terms of pay and conditions, wants an average annual pay increase of 3.7 percent for 5,400 pilots in Germany over a five-year period from 2012. Lufthansa has offered 2.5 percent spread over six years to 2019.
The airline has urged the union to enter mediation, but the union said it first wants to see a better offer. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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