Lufthansa prepares for another pilot strike

The Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) union on Sunday announced the 36-hour strike action was to take place Monday and Tuesday, following a breakdown in negotiations with Lufthansa management in a long-running dispute over planned changes to early retirement benefits.

"During the strike period, disruptions of Lufthansa flights are expected. Lufthansa is currently working intensely on a special timetable for the strike period, which will be published as soon as possible," Germany's biggest airline said in a statement on its website Sunday.

The pilot strikes will affect only passengers with Lufthansa, not its budget subsidiary Germanwings or any of its other subsidiaries. Affecting departures and arrivals Germany-wide, they are due to come into effect on short and medium-haul passenger flights between Monday, December 1, midday German time (1100 UTC/GMT) to just before midnight on Tuesday, as well as long-haul flights from between 3 a.m. local time Tuesday, to just before midnight. Flights of Lufthansa Cargo would also be affected at the same times on Tuesday.

Long-running dispute

The strike action centers on a long-running disagreement between the union and Lufthansa management over the airline's plans to gradually increase the age at which pilots are eligible to take early retirement by five years. Currently, pilots can retire at age 55 and receive up to 60 percent of their pay until the normal pension kicks in at the age of 65. The union wants this to continue for all pilots. Lufthansa is in the process of expanding its budget operations as it undergoes restructuring in the face of heavy competition from low-budget rival airlines.

The parties had held negotiations since the previous round of strikes in October. In a statement released Sunday, the union held Lufthansa's management responsible that the points of conflict could not be solved in that time. Lufthansa in turn called the strike action disproportionate.

Pilots for Lufthansa and its subsidiaries have already staged eight walkouts this year, which according to the airline cost the company some 170 million euros ($211.62 million) in lost revenue.

Passengers in Germany have faced a year of disruptions due to industrial action, with Deutsche Bahn rail services also affected by repeated strikes. Train drivers' union GDL and the German national rail operator are considering their next moves; however, union leaders have ruled out calling strikes during the Christmas holiday period.

se/glb (Reuters, AP, AFP, dpa)