After two days of strike action during which domestic and European flights only were cancelled, Lufthansa has finally had to cut long-haul routes including services to New York, Chicago, Calcutta and Calgary.
Ground staff and cabin crew began their industrial action on Monday and at first it was thought that minimal disruption would occur.
But now the German flag carrier has said some 78 long-haul flights are to be cancelled. On Tuesday 70 short-haul and medium-haul flights were cut.
Strikers want just under a 10% boost to their pay packets but management will offer only 6.7% plus a one off lump sum. But pressure mounts on the german carrier as it is estimated that each day’s action will cost the airline €5 million.
Meanwhile Flybe has raised capacity levels in a bid to take up the slack on flights to Germany from the UK. The low-cost carrier plans to use larger craft on Germany-UK routes leaving Manchester, Southampton and Birmingham. Flybe operates flights to Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Hannover, Hamburg and Stuttgart.
By Dinah Hatch
