A two-day warning strike has begun at Munich airport, with the majority of the flights there cancelled through the end of Friday.
The strike is also affecting other German airports, as Munich serves as a major air transit hub that smaller German airports often connect to.
Meanwhile the industrial action has been expanded to Hamburg, where the Verdi trade union has also called on employees of the airport, as well as those in maintenance, IT services, security services, passenger handling and baggage handling, to stage a walk out.
The strikes at Hamburg airport began at 10pm on Wednesday and are planned to last until the end of the late shift on Friday.
It comes after a strike affecting Cologne/Bonn and Düsseldorf airports caused severe disruption this week, including hundreds of cancelled flights.
How many flights are affected in Munich and Hamburg?
As of Wednesday evening, Munich airport had announced that around 80 percent of its 1,600 flights scheduled for Thursday and Friday had been cancelled. They added that further cancellations cannot be ruled out.
As of Thursday at noon, an airport spokesman told AFP that only 100 of 830 scheduled take-offs and landings would go ahead as planned Thursday,
Any passengers planning to fly to or from Munich on Thursday or Friday are advised to check the status of their flight before travelling to the airport.
Passengers on flights that aren’t cancelled by the strike may still be affected, as limited staff may lead to delays at check-in or security.
School holidays in the region, along with carnival celebrations, means transport hubs are particularly busy at the moment.
Cancellations at Munich are also affecting some flights from other German airports.
Welt reported that all of the flights to Munich from Hanover and Bremen on Thursday have been axed, with further cancellations expected on Friday. Similar disruption may be expected from other airports in Germany or abroad.
Again, passengers with flights that have a stopover in Munich should check the status of their flight before going to the airport.
READ ALSO: What travellers in Germany should know about Munich's airport strike
Hamburg airport handles a significantly lower volume of flights – 146 take-offs and 148 landings had been planned for Thursday, and similar numbers for Friday.
The airport has said it was unable to assess the impact of the warning strike because it was announced at the last minute. But an announcement on the airport website says, “It can be assumed that there will be delays and disruptions.”
At time of writing, it looks like most of the flights departing from Hamburg on Thursday are still set to take-off, except for those to Munich.
Similar to Munich, the airport recommends that passengers check the status of their flights before leaving their homes, and allow extra time for check-in and security. Also note that early check-ins have been disabled during the strike.
Why are the strikes happening?
These strikes come as part of wave of public sector worker strikes, led by the Verdi labour union, that have been affecting regions across Germany recently.
According to Verdi, many airport workers are also included in collective agreement for public service workers. For instance, those who work in administration, check-in, aircraft handling, passenger and crew transport as well as baggage handling.
The union emphasised that ground and security staff make "an indispensable contribution to the safety and reliability of air traffic -- around the clock, in all weather conditions".
In recent negotiations for public sector employees Verdi has demanded wage increases of eight percent or at least €350, three additional days off, and higher bonuses for certain kinds of work.
What passengers need to know
Affected passengers could be entitled to compensation under EU law if their flight is cancelled or significantly delayed.
If you are unable to reach your destination due to a cancelled flight you are generally entitled to a refund for both your cancelled flight as well as your return flight if applicable.
If you face a long wait at the airport because your airline needs to reschedule your flight, you may be entitled to food, drink, or even accommodation – depending on the length of the delay.
READ ALSO: What are your rights in Germany if a flight is delayed or cancelled?
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