You are in > manchester.com  > News > Lufthansa plays down strike action

Business

Lufthansa plays down strike action

28/07/2008

German airline Lufthansa said strike action taken by 5,000 staff has not disrupted flights.

Ground staff and cabin crew members have walked out after talks between union Verdi and the airline failed.

Lufthansa had offered a 6.7 per cent pay increase, spread over two years, in addition to a one-off payment but the union is asking for a 9.8 per cent rise.

According to the union, 91 per cent of its 52,000 members back the action, which will affect several airports including Frankfurt and Hamburg.

It claims the action will cost Lufthansa €5 million (£3.95 million) a day, but the airline has played down the impact, telling German television channel ZDF TV, "Almost 100 per cent of our flights are flying on time".

Verdi union spokesperson, Erhard Ott, told the channel the strike is actually going well.

"The effects of the strike are likely to grow in the course of the day and in coming days," Mr Ott said.

Lufthansa was also hit last week by a pilots' strike and had to cancel almost 1,000 regional flights. The separate dispute was also over pay.