Cabin crew at German carrier Lufthansa are threatening to stage flash strikes that could cause delays and cancellations for UK travellers.
The UFO union, which represents 1,800 Lufthansa crew, said they may strike at just a few hours’ notice after pay talks broke down. Union leader Nicoley Baublies said the first strike could come as early as today.
"We could hold the strike for five or six hours at a time at selected airports," he said.
Employees are pushing for a 5% pay rise following a three year pay freeze. The airline said it had offered a deal which equated to a rise of about 3.5%.
Lufthansa flies from 14 UK airports, including Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, London City and Belfast, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Manchester.
It said it would give details of its contingency plans if and when strike times were confirmed.
Lufthansa has cut 3,500 jobs – reducing its global workforce by three percent and frozen investment to boost profits, which it said were being squeezed by rising fuel prices and competition from low-cost and Middle Eastern carriers.
Lufthansa has also shifted contracts of pilots and flight attendants at Austrian Airlines to a lower-cost subsidiary.
By Linsey McNeill
