Lufthansa Cargo is warning of delays to shipments today as a result of strike action being carried out at airports across Germany.
The freighter operator said that as a result of the strikes, only limited cargo will be transported during the 24-hour walkout by public sector workers, which started at midnight on 10 March.
“We are doing everything we can to minimize the impact on your shipments and will publish current information regarding the updated flight schedule on lufthansa-cargo.com as soon as possible,” the airline said.
Lufthansa Cargo said that the airport operators, particularly in Frankfurt and Munich, had warned of ”significant disruptions due to the scope and character of the announced strike and that a large proportion of passenger aircraft will not operate”.
The wider Lufthansa Group said that its airlines are not collective bargaining partners in this dispute with the Verdi union, but, like many other airlines, is affected.
In an operational alert, Frankfurt Airport said: ”Due to a strike by the German union Verdi airport operations will be heavily disrupted at Frankfurt Airport today. Transfer traffic will also be affected.”
The strike includes ground and security staff - including cargo screening - and is causing disruption at 13 airports.
Strikes are taking place at the airports in Hamburg, Bremen, Hanover, Berlin, Düsseldorf, Weeze, Dortmund, Cologne/Bonn, Leipzig/Halle, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden and Munich
Leipzig/Halle Airport said that the strikes would take place there between 05:00am on 10 March and 07:00am on 11 March.
Munich Airport said that a ”greatly reduced flight schedule” is to be expected.
German Airport Association ADV describe the industrial action as a "monster strike" and added that it around 3,500 flights would be cancelled.
"Today, the airports in our country are cut off from international air traffic. Since most flights are cross-border, this endless strike is also having an impact on European and global air traffic. Connections to other countries are being interrupted, leading to a domino effect," said ADV General Manager Ralph Beisel.
