Lufthansa travelers face upheaval as ground crews strike again

Germany is set to face new travel disruption next week as labor union Verdi calls for a one-day warning strike of Lufthansa AG ground personnel starting February 20. 

The strike, which will start early Tuesday morning and end on Wednesday at 7:10 a.m. CET, will affect Lufthansa hubs Frankfurt and Munich as well as other German airports. There will likely be major flight cancellations and delays, the union said in an emailed statement on Sunday. 

Baggage handlers, cargo staff and other ground services crews already walked off the job earlier this month, causing Lufthansa to cancel between 80% and 90% of scheduled flights. 

Verdi said the latest action comes after the union couldn’t reach an agreement in negotiations with Lufthansa on Feb. 12, adding employees felt “snubbed” by the airline’s past proposals. The union is demanding a 12.5% wage hike, or at least €500 ($539) more per month over 12 months, as well as an additional €3,000 inflation bonus for Lufthansa ground crew members. 

The next round of negotiations between Verdi and Lufthansa is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, Feb. 21 — just after the latest planned strike ends.