Germany is grappling with widespread strikes as rail and airport employees protest for better working conditions, causing chaos for millions of travellers.
The walkouts have crippled various sectors, including national rail, air travel, and public transport, further straining the country's already fragile economy.
At press time, two of the five scheduled flights on 07MAR, originating from Frankfurt Airport in Germany and bound for Pearson, have been cancelled.
The strikes, which are in a bid for improved wages and working conditions, come amid high inflation and staff shortages, prompting intense negotiations in key transportation sectors.
Reuters reports the one-day nationwide rail strike will cost around 100 million euros (USD$107 million) in economic output, according to Michael Groemling, head of economic affairs at IW Koeln.
The current round of strikes initiated by train drivers is set to last until Friday (08MAR) afternoon, marking the start of a series of planned strikes by the GDL union, which seeks reduced working hours at full pay.
According to Crisis24, Lufthansa's unionized ground staff plan to strike at airports nationwide from 20:00 06MAR to 07:10 09MAR (local time). The union is demanding increased pay and an inflation compensation bonus for employees.
Lufthansa pax looking to fly out of Germany will face significant challenges as airline ground staff and security personnel walk off the job. Frankfurt, Germany's busiest airport, has experienced flight cancellations, with 650 out of 1,750 flights grounded on 07MAR.
Cancellations are expected to cause extensive delays and flight disruptions across the Lufthansa network, with residual effects likely to persist for several hours after the strikes end.
Pax in Germany are being advised to expect heightened security measures and localized transport disruptions near affected airports and Lufthansa offices, as striking workers may picket outside these locations.
Toronto Pearson shared a post from Lufthansa on X (formerly Twitter):
Due to the previously announced Verdi strike of ground staff from Wednesday, March 6th at 8:00 pm until Saturday, March 9th at 7:10 am, operations on March 7th and 8th are limited to 10 to 20 percent of our flight schedule. Additionally, the security staff at the airports in… pic.twitter.com/MSe2XphTMf
— Lufthansa (@lufthansa) March 6, 2024
