German airport strike hits thousands of passengers Friday
Airline passengers in Germany and across Europe were hit by flight cancellations on Friday as strike action continued at airports across the country. Security staff at Cologne/Bonn, Hamburg, Stuttgart, and Düsseldorf remain off the job until the end of Friday.
On Friday, security workers at Stuttgart airport also joined the strike that began on Thursday and has seen tens of thousands of passengers affected at Düsseldorf, Cologne/Bonn and Hamburg airports.
Travellers considering an alternative route by train were also hit by a Deutsche Bahn strike on Friday morning.
READ ALSO: What you need to know about Germany's upcoming transport strikes
In Cologne/Bonn, 170 of the 211 planned flights -- including both departures and some arrivals -- were cancelled Friday. At Düsseldorf airport, around 160 of the approximately 400 flights planned for Friday were cancelled, according to the airport.
The halls at Hamburg airport were also largely empty, with all departures and many arriving flights also cancelled, said a spokeswoman. Stuttgart also cancelled all departures and many arrivals.
According to the ADV on Wednesday, a total of 700 flights at all the airports were cancelled over Thursday and Friday.
Why are workers on strike?
The collective bargaining dispute at the airports affects workers in aviation security, passenger control, personnel and goods control and service areas.
Among other demands, the Verdi trade union is calling on the Federal Association of Aviation Security Companies (BDLS), for 30-40 percent overtime pay for night shifts, 50 percent extra for Saturday shifts and up to 125 percent extra pay for working on specific public holidays, such as those coming up in May.
Verdi justified its call for a warning strike with the fact that the negotiations have not led to a solution.
Bargaining talks are set to be continued on April 27th and 28th, and if no deal is reached, the airports could continue to see a series of strikes over the busy summer travel season.
READ ALSO: Will Germany's airports face travel chaos again this summer?
Comments
See Also
On Friday, security workers at Stuttgart airport also joined the strike that began on Thursday and has seen tens of thousands of passengers affected at Düsseldorf, Cologne/Bonn and Hamburg airports.
Travellers considering an alternative route by train were also hit by a Deutsche Bahn strike on Friday morning.
READ ALSO: What you need to know about Germany's upcoming transport strikes
In Cologne/Bonn, 170 of the 211 planned flights -- including both departures and some arrivals -- were cancelled Friday. At Düsseldorf airport, around 160 of the approximately 400 flights planned for Friday were cancelled, according to the airport.
The halls at Hamburg airport were also largely empty, with all departures and many arriving flights also cancelled, said a spokeswoman. Stuttgart also cancelled all departures and many arrivals.
According to the ADV on Wednesday, a total of 700 flights at all the airports were cancelled over Thursday and Friday.
Why are workers on strike?
The collective bargaining dispute at the airports affects workers in aviation security, passenger control, personnel and goods control and service areas.
Among other demands, the Verdi trade union is calling on the Federal Association of Aviation Security Companies (BDLS), for 30-40 percent overtime pay for night shifts, 50 percent extra for Saturday shifts and up to 125 percent extra pay for working on specific public holidays, such as those coming up in May.
Verdi justified its call for a warning strike with the fact that the negotiations have not led to a solution.
Bargaining talks are set to be continued on April 27th and 28th, and if no deal is reached, the airports could continue to see a series of strikes over the busy summer travel season.
READ ALSO: Will Germany's airports face travel chaos again this summer?
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.