Lufthansa Strike March 2024: Cancelled Flights Compensation

Lufthansa employees will strike for the third time this year, leading to hundreds of cancelled Lufthansa flights. Passengers are entitled to flight compensation.

March 12th Update:

One thousand Lufthansa flights will be cancelled on Tuesday and Wednesday due to the fourth Lufthansa strike in a month. 19,000 flight attendants and stewards from Lufthansa and Lufthansa Cityline will be striking this week, disrupting flights departing from Frankfurt and Munich. On Tuesday and Wednesday 1,000 Lufthansa flights will be suspended between 4 a.m. and 11 p.m., leaving over 120,000 passengers scrambling for alternatives. This comes on the heels of a recent strike by ground staff and security guards at Frankfurt and Hamburg airports. Previously, Lufthansa was allowing passengers who want to travel by train to exchange their flight tickets for train tickets, free of cost, but a strike on the German railways has also been announced for Tuesday and is expected to disrupt passenger traffic.

As tensions escalate between Lufthansa and its employees, Lufthansa faces a series of strikes across multiple sectors, continuing to stress its passengers. This Thursday and Friday, March 7th and 8th, will see the third of these strikes in less than a month. Led by the German labour union, Ver.di, the strikes intend to settle negotiations for improved pay, working conditions, and job security.

Why is Lufthansa Striking?

Ver.di's determination and widespread call for action stems from the frustration of several discussions remaining unresolved. The union's demand for a 12.5% salary increase or a minimum additional monthly payment of €500 for 25,000 ground staff members has yet to be met, fueling discontent among employees.

Lufthansa strike March 7th and 8th:

Ver.di has announced further strikes scheduled for March 7th and 8th, encompassing ground-handling employees and impacting operations crucial for passenger services. These strikes come after failed negotiations on February 21st and 22nd, where Lufthansa offered only a mere 0.5% increase in salary, falling short of the union's demands.

Who will be affected by the Lufthansa strike?

Lufthansa ground staff, pilots, and subsidiary workers are set to join the strike on Thursday, March 7th and Friday 8th, disrupting operations at major German airports including Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg, Berlin, and Düsseldorf. Flight cancellations and delays are anticipated, with Lufthansa estimating a cancellation rate of up to 90%.

Lufthansa Strike 2024: how to claim compensation

Because tens of thousands of passengers will be affected by this third strike, Lufthansa offers the option to convert plane tickets into Deutsche Bahn train tickets free of charge whenever applicable. More importantly, however, passengers must remember that the EU261, the legislation outlining European air passenger rights, protects passengers impacted by the strikes. Affected passengers are entitled to flight compensation ranging from €250 to €600, depending on the distance of the flight.

It is also important to note that Lufthansa is not keen on compensating such a large number of passengers for an issue that they could easily solve. Therefore, with such an overflow of complaints, the airline ignores its passengers or quickly denies compensation to passengers to whom it is rightfully owed.

How to avoid this?

Check your eligibility free of charge using our free claim calculator in under a minute and let us handle the hassle for you. Our claim experts have been dealing with airlines and their tactics for over a decade - if necessary, we will take them to court and assume all the costs!

As Lufthansa struggles to end the successive strikes and find an agreement amongst negotiations, the spectre of further disruptions looms large for passengers and the aviation industry alike. With both sides entrenched in their positions, the road to resolution remains uncertain, underscoring the challenges facing the airline as it navigates a turbulent labour landscape amidst a backdrop of economic uncertainty.