The majority of European and domestic German flights will be cancelled on Monday April 22, due to strike actions by the German trade union ver.di – Longhaul flights to/from/via Frankfurt and Munich will be only partly affected – More information can be found on www.lufthansa.com
Due to the announced strike actions on Monday, April 22, nearly all Lufthansa flights within Germany and Europe will be cancelled. Only a select few short-haul flights will operate on Monday, such as in Berlin , where strike actions should end by 2:30pm CET. In all, only 20 of the 1,650 planned Lufthansa short-haul flights on Monday will operate due to the limited flight schedule.
In addition to the cancellations in Germany and Europe , massive flight cancellations and delays are to be expected for long-haul flights beginning Sunday April, 21. Of the 50 planned flights in Frankfurt, only six will operate; in Munich , of the 17 planned flights, only three will operate; whereas, in Dusseldorf all three long-haul flights are scheduled to operate as planned.
Lufthansa recommends all passengers to check the status of their flight in advance by visiting www.lufthansa.com under the link “strike actions on 22 April 2013” or under the tab “My Bookings.” Alternatively, Lufthansa has set up toll-free informational hotlines for passengers affected by the strike actions.
For calls from the USA : 1 800 645 3880
For calls form Canada : 1 800 563 5954
Passengers booked on flights scheduled to depart on April 21 and/or 22, 2013 to/from/via Germany may rebook their itineraries free of charge. Passengers with cancelled flights may also refund their bookings free of charge. Passengers travelling within Germany whose flights have been cancelled due to the strike may alternatively travel by train with the German railway “Deutsche Bahn.” To do this, they can exchange their etix (electronic ticket) for a travel voucher underwww.lufthansa.com under “My Bookings” or at a Lufthansa check-in kiosk in Germany .
In addition, for passengers unaffected by the strike actions, Lufthansa strongly encourages to check-in on-line or via automated kiosk at the airport. Furthermore, during the strike period, passengers with little baggage are suggested to pack lightly and limit themselves to carry-on baggage.
About Lufthansa
One of the world's largest and most prestigious airlines, Lufthansa currently flies to 253 destinations in 103 countries, with hubs in Frankfurt, Munich , and with the Lufthansa Group acquisition of Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and SWISS – Vienna , Brussels and Zurich . From its 21 North American gateways, Lufthansa— recently voted by Fortune as one of the five most admired airlines in the world— and its partners serve over 450 destinations in more than 120 countries. An industry innovator, Lufthansa has long been committed to environmental care and sustainability, operating the most technologically-advanced and fuel-efficient fleet in the world. Its long-haul fleet to and from North America includes the Boeing 747-400 and the 747-8, as well as the Airbus A330, A340 and A380. Currently, Lufthansa has over 160 new aircraft worth about $22 billion on order. Lufthansa is the largest European operator of the A380 and was the launch customer for the new Boeing 747-8, the industries’ two most fuel-efficient passenger aircraft. Known for its premium services, Lufthansa continues its $105 million program earmarked for building new or upgrading existing lounge facilities across its worldwide network and will spend more than $3.6 billion in new onboard products and services by 2015. In 2010, Lufthansa re-launched its broadband wireless Internet service onboard, FlyNet. For more information or reservations, visit www.lh.com.
Near-normal operations to resume on Tuesday
ReplyDeleteEarly shift will be on duty at German airports – Only minimal disruption expected over the next few days following today’s strike action
April 22, 2013 – After today’s flight cancellations due to the widespread warning strike called by the ver.di trade union, Lufthansa expects to return to a near-normal schedule tomorrow, Tuesday April 23, 2013. Since isolated flight irregularities may still occur, Lufthansa advises all passengers, as a precautionary measure, to check the status of their flight before setting off for the airport on the www.lufthansa.com website under the heading “Current flight information” or “My bookings”.
Today’s warning strike by the ver.di trade union at German airports served by Lufthansa Group airlines caused severe disruption to flight operations. Virtually all domestic German and intra-European flights had to be cancelled. The twelve long-haul and about 30 medium-haul flights that were published in a special timetable were, however, operated as planned.
In all, about 150,000 passengers were affected by the strike action. Over the weekend, Lufthansa managed to contact 95,000 passengers, who had registered their contact details with Lufthansa, by SMS and inform them about cancellations and rebooking options. Passengers affected by cancellations were able to rebook their flight or cancel their ticket, free of charge. Many passengers opted instead to travel by train with Deutsche Bahn.