Thousands of flights cancelled as strike hits 13 airports across Germany

BERLIN

Thousands of flights were cancelled on Monday as so-called warning strikes by the Verdi labor union kicked off at 13 airports across Germany, according to media reports.

Since midnight, employees from the public service of airport operators, ground handling services and air security departments have been on a 24-hour strike in various wage disputes, an unnamed spokesman for the union said.

The union is demanding, among other things, an 8% increase in wages, but at least €350 ($380) more per month, as well as three additional days off.

The employers have not yet presented a concrete offer.

The warning strikes affect major airports including Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin, Hamburg, Hanover, Bremen, Düsseldorf, Dortmund, Cologne/Bonn, Leipzig/Halle and Stuttgart.

According to an earlier estimate by the airport association ADV, more than 3,400 flights are expected to be cancelled due to the strike in the public service and ground handling services alone, and around 510,000 passengers will not be able to travel as planned.

Wage negotiations in this labor dispute are scheduled to resume on Friday, while the next round of talks for airport security workers is expected to start on 26 March.