A 35-hour strike by Lufthansa pilots is being extended to cover the airline’s long-haul flights.
Industrial action is due to start on Lufthansa’s short-haul services from 13.00 Central European Summer Time (CEST) today (October 20) which will affect short and medium-haul services, with 1,450 flights being cancelled.
The stoppage is being expanded to cover Lufthansa’s intercontinental flights during tomorrow (October 21). All strike action is due to end at 23.59 CEST on Tuesday.
Pilots union Vereinigung Cockpit said its members would be taking industrial action for all Lufthansa flights operated by Airbus A320, Boeing 737 and Embraer aircraft.
The union is in dispute with Lufthansa over the airline’s plans to change pilots’ retirement and pension terms.
This will be the eighth strike to affect Lufthansa during 2014. Vereinigung Cockpit last week held a 12-hour stoppage for its members working for Lufthansa’s no-frills subsidiary Germanwings.
Lufthansa said the strike would not affect flights with its sister brands Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Germanwings, Swiss and Air Dolomiti.
Lufthansa’s latest updates on the strikes