Normal Operations to Resume at Lufthansa after Strike

Lufthansa expects to return to “almost normal” operations on Saturday after the end of the longest strike in the airline’s history.

The carrier was forced to cancel about 4,700 flights affecting 550,000 passengers over the course of the seven days of industrial action by cabin crew in a dispute over retirement age polices, pay and pension benefits.

The head of the UFO flight attendants union, Nicoley Baublies, has warned that strikes could continue beyond today.

Lufthansa said it plans to offer a usual service “as soon as possible” but admitted there can still be “occasional flight cancellations” due to aircraft and crew being out of position.

Long-haul connections from Frankfurt to Hong Kong, Singapore, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paolo, which were scheduled to take off late on this evening, will be delayed to Saturday morning.

Lufthansa will also return to almost normal operations on short and medium-haul flights tomorrow.

“Due to operational reasons, there can be occasional flight cancellations, if the aircraft or crews are not yet at the site of operation,” the airline said.

“Lufthansa would like to sincerely apologise again to all customers, who have been affected by the strike of the Independent Flight Attendant’s Union (UFO) during the past days.

“The company has done its utmost to keep the effects on their customers as low as possible.”

Credit: Travel Weekly