Germany: Parallel strikes disrupt rail and air travel

Berlin: Millions faced having to make alternative travel plans on Thursday as parallel transport strikes crippled Germany’s rail and air transport systems.

Staff at national airline Lufthansa and rail operator Deutsche Bahn are demanding higher pay.

Germany’s long-distance and regional rail network came to a halt as train drivers began a 35-hour strike over wages.

That walkout coincided with a two-day strike by ground staff at Lufthansa, with Germany’s national carrier expected to fly just 10% to 20% of its original schedule.

Deutsche Bahn said it expected “massive disruptions” on Thursday and Friday, with the aim of returning to normal by Saturday.

With regional transport, the train operator said it expected to run a “greatly reduced service,” but that the extent of disruption would vary significantly from region to region.

In air travel, Lufthansa ground staff are staging a nationwide strike from Thursday into Saturday, while security staff at Frankfurt and Hamburg airports were also holding a one-day walkout on Thursday.

Operations at both hubs were expected to be severely hampered.

The German Train Drivers’ Union (GDL) is demanding a reduction in the working week for shift workers from 38 to 35 hours, with full wage compensation from Deutsche Bahn.

It is the fifth strike in a months-long wage dispute, with the union breaking off the most recent round of negotiations last Thursday after four weeks of talks with mediators.

GDL also warned that future strikes may be called without the 48-hour notice that has been given for strikes so far.

At Lufthansa, the Verdi union – which represents some 25,000 airline ground staff  — is demanding a 12.5% pay raise or at least €500 ($545) more per month. The union also wants a group-wide inflation compensation bonus of €3,000.

Lufthansa has so far offered 10% more pay, with the inflation compensation bonus paid over 28 months.

The airline giant also announced on Thursday that its profits had doubled in 2023 — from €791 million in 2022 to €1.67 billion — as demand soared.