Lufthansa: Reduced Catering Onboard Flights Due to Strike

Lufthansa has announced that it will not be able to provide its regular variety of beverages and meals on Thursday, December 19, and presumably the two following days, due to a strike called by the Verdi trade union at the Lufthansa Group catering company LSG Skychefs.

Work will be suspended for 24 hours starting at 12am on December 19. The strike will affect catering loading at the Frankfurt and Munich hubs.

This means that no meals and beverages will be offered on domestic and European flights to and from Frankfurt and Munich.

Reduced catering will also be available on long-haul flights from Frankfurt and Munich. All long-haul flights to Frankfurt and Munich include the normal selection of meals and beverages.

“Lufthansa regrets the inconvenience for its passengers. Customers transiting in Frankfurt and Munich or commencing their journey at these airports have access to catering stations in the transit and departure area. These catering stations will offer customers free snacks and beverages,” the airline said.

Additionally, Lufthansa will reimburse costs (up to a reasonable level and upon presenting a receipt) if customers purchase meals or beverages for themselves. Beverages should only be purchased after passing the security check.

Regardless if a guest’s flight is affected or not by a catering shortage:

Lufthansa offers its customers free rebooking if
– they are booked on a domestic German or European Lufthansa flight departing between December 19-21,
– they are booked on a Lufthansa long-haul flight from Frankfurt or Munich departing between December 19-21,
– the ticket was issued on or before December 18, 2019.

Passengers can rebook their flight to a new date up until (and including) January 5, 2020 (date of travel); the route has to remain the same. This offer is subject to seat availability in the same class.

For customers wishing to travel in a lower class, Lufthansa offers free rebooking to the next lower class if there is seat availability. Lufthansa will refund the difference.

In exceptional cases, flights may be cancelled. Lufthansa passengers are re-quested to check the status of their flight on www.lufthansa.com prior to departure.