Germany Airport Strikes Severely Disrupt Travel

Flights out of airports in the German cities of Frankfurt, Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Dresden, Hannover, Stuttgart, Dortmund, Bremen, Leipzig, and Erfurt have been cancelled or facing disruption as security employees are holding 18-hour strikes over wage issues.

Travelers are advised to check directly with carrier ahead of scheduled flight as more than 220,000 passengers across Germany have been affected by the staff strike, which began at 2am on Tuesday and was set to run through to 8pm local time.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for airport operator Fraport is advising travelers not to come to Frankfurt airport during the strike. 

According to local reports, Ver.di board member Ute Kittel told state broadcaster ZDF that employers had failed to respond to last week’s warning strikes.

Photo Source: @Frankfurt Airport

“They haven’t come up with an improved offer,” she said, adding that because there has been “no willingness to make a better offer, the extension of warning strikes has become necessary”.

The Ver.di and dubb trade unions, representing 23,000 employees responsible for checking passengers and cargo, called on members to walkout on Tuesday, demanding higher pay at an hourly rate of 20 euros.

Negotiations between unions and employers over the ongoing dispute are scheduled to resume on January 23, in Berlin.

Tuesday’s strike comes after walkouts last week at airports in Berlin, Stuttgart, Cologne Bonn, and Dusseldorf.