Lufthansa Cancels Hundreds of Flights as Pilot Strike Begins

Germany’s flagship carrier Lufthansa, has canceled hundreds of flights as a two-day pilot strike disrupts operations across the country, causing major travel delays and cancellations.

The strike began shortly after midnight on Monday and is set to last 48 hours. It involves pilots from Lufthansa’s core brand, as well as subsidiaries including Lufthansa Cargo and Lufthansa CityLine.

At Eurowings, the group’s leisure airline, all departing flights from German airports are expected to be affected on Monday.

The largest disruptions are anticipated at Lufthansa’s main hubs in Frankfurt and Munich, with widespread cancellations scheduled for both Monday and Tuesday.

The industrial action marks the fourth wave of labor unrest within the airline group this year, following a recent cabin crew strike that also led to hundreds of canceled flights.

The pilot strike, organized by the Vereinigung Cockpit, centers on disputes over pay, pension systems, and compensation at the regional unit CityLine.

Lufthansa has criticized the strike as a major escalation but confirmed it will not change its position. Board member Michael Niggemann warned that ongoing strikes are weakening the company and affecting its competitiveness, particularly within its core brand operations.

Despite the disruption, the airline expects to operate about half of its long-haul flights and roughly one-third of its short- and medium-haul services during the strike period.

Flights operated by other Lufthansa Group carriers, including SWISS International Air Lines and Brussels Airlines, are largely expected to continue as scheduled.

Some routes to destinations in the Middle East have also been excluded from the strike, limiting the impact on select international travel corridors.