Pilots for the German airline Eurowings went on strike on Thursday, prompting the cancellation of scores of flights.
It’s the latest strike to impact a German airline, with pilots calling for better pay in light of rising inflation and more rest between flights.
What is the impact of the strike?
The strike will last all of Thursday, ending shortly before midnight. Eurowings, a subsidiary of German carrier Lufthansa, expects to cancel half of its flights due to the industrial action.
By Thursday morning over 150 flights had been canceled at airports in the German cities of Düsseldorf and Cologne.
The airline operates around 500 flights a day, so more cancellations are likely throughout the day. An estimated 30,000 passengers could be impacted by the strike.
Eurowings primarily focuses on short-haul destinations in Europe and Germany.
Why was the strike called?
The pilots’ union Cockpit called for the strike after a tenth round of negotiations on a collective labor agreement at the airline fell apart.
Pilots are calling for a pay raise in light of the rising cost of living.
They have also called for more rest time in between flights for pilots, as well as a reduction in the maximum working hours.
The industrial action comes on the heels of a fraught summer travel season at German airports. Staff shortages, sickness and strikes prompted Lufthansa and other airlines to cancel thousands of flights over the summer.
The staffing shortages also sparked long lines at airports, with frustrated travelers told to arrive up to three hours before their departure time in order to ensure they make it to the gate.
Lufthansa reached a pay deal with ground staff in August after a strike forced the airline to cancel over 1,000 flights.
rs/nm (dpa, Reuters)
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