A total of 14 out of 18 departures and 14 out of 18 arrivals with Lufthansa at Copenhagen Airport Kastrup are cancelled due to the pilot strike. The strike hits travelers particularly hard at the end of the Easter holiday rush, according to Lufthansa. About 500 departures and around 90,000 passengers are affected by the one-day strike on Friday, multiple reports indicate, with the Vereinigung Cockpit pilots’ union estimating that around 300 flights will be cancelled each day during the walkout.
Earlier in the week, the union Vereinigung Cockpit announced a two-day strike, which will last through Friday, according to major media reports. The strike is due to negotiations over wages and pensions, German Spiegel reported. The union has called out cabin crew on strike after negotiations for a new collective agreement broke down, multiple reports indicate. A two-day strike by pilots at Lufthansa began on Thursday morning and is set to last until the end of Friday, according to research.
Specific airport impacts are widespread. From Arlanda, two out of six departures with Lufthansa are cancelled on Thursday, an official said. Lufthansa suspends its flights between Germany and Norway due to a strike among cabin crew on Friday, multiple reports indicate. All of Lufthansa's flights between Germany and Norway are suspended, including routes from Frankfurt to Bergen, Stavanger, and Oslo, and flights between Oslo and Munich, an NTB review found. There will be no departures on Thursday at Hamburg Airport, according to research. The union ver.di has called for all-day strikes at Cologne/Bonn Airport and Düsseldorf Airport on Thursday for employees in the aviation security sector, research shows, with considerable disruptions to flight operations and flight cancellations expected at those airports. Of nine arrivals and departures to Munich and Frankfurt over two days, seven were displayed as cancelled as of Thursday afternoon, research indicates. Flight cancellations are especially expected at Germany's major air travel hubs, Munich and Frankfurt, according to research.
Passenger impacts are significant. Due to a large number of cancellations and reduced rebooking options, the Lufthansa Group airlines will not be able to offer solutions for all passengers, the Lufthansa Group said. Passengers are advised to check their flight status on the airline's website, multiple reports indicate. Passengers affected by the strike should have received an email from the airline by Thursday morning at the latest, multiple reports indicate. Lufthansa has used the OPR tool to automatically rebook passengers on alternative flight connections for cancellations on 6 and 7 March 2024, research shows, but many automatically booked alternatives have been canceled due to an additional strike by security staff. For flight cancellations on 8 and 9 March 2024, no automated rebooking has been made, but rebookings can be done manually, research indicates. The Lufthansa Group airlines offer extended options to rebook or have tickets refunded free of charge, the Lufthansa Group said. Passengers affected by the strikes should be notified by e-mail, according to Lufthansa, which says it is rebooking affected passengers on alternative flights free of charge and informing passengers via mobile phone.
Beyond aviation, geopolitical tensions in the Middle East are affecting oil markets. The oil market is worried by Iranian attacks on ships and energy infrastructure in other countries around the Persian Gulf, multiple reports indicate. In connection with the shaky ceasefire in Iran, the price for Brent oil for delivery in June has fallen, but with Forties Blend, the price for immediate delivery oil, has surged to record levels of almost $147 per barrel, multiple reports indicate. Large amounts of oil are stuck in the Persian Gulf, and uncertainty around the Strait of Hormuz makes the market nervous about a physical shortage, multiple reports indicate. Donald Trump has demanded that Iran open the strait, but Iran wants to retain control and charge fees, leading to only about a dozen ships passing, multiple reports indicate. The market is so pressured that some contracts have been temporarily halted, and experts warn the situation could lead to a crisis, especially in Asia, multiple reports indicate.
The international response to these tensions is unfolding. Mark Rutte has delivered an ultimatum from Donald Trump to NATO to send warships to the Middle East to support the US and Israel's war against Iran, multiple reports indicate. Several European countries question if Rutte has gone too far in his subservience to the US, multiple reports indicate. A coalition of thirty European countries and Canada has promised to contribute to free shipping in the Strait of Hormuz but wants to wait until the fighting is over, multiple reports indicate. There is concern among NATO countries that Rutte's strategy undermines Europe's position vis-à-vis the US, and even the UK thinks he has gone too far, multiple reports indicate.
Oil prices have shown volatility. The price of Brent oil rose during the night but by nine o'clock has fallen back to $96 per barrel, multiple reports indicate. Stockholm's OMX index fell 0.8% on Wednesday and is up 1.2% since the start of the year, multiple reports indicate.
Stock markets are reacting to the uncertainty. Stockholm's stock market opens weakly downward in a new wave of war anxiety, with the OMXS index down 0.2%, multiple reports indicate. Atlas Copco and ABB are down 0.6% each, multiple reports indicate. Saab is up 3.1%, multiple reports indicate.
The strike hits travelers particularly hard at the end of the Easter holiday rush.
In a separate incident, Viking Line has suffered a data breach and some passenger information has leaked, multiple reports indicate. The breach targets passengers who have made pre-orders of tax-free goods to their cars, according to Expressen. The breach involves a subcontractor and not all passengers or passenger data, according to Expressen. No card details have leaked, according to Expressen. The incident involves what sums people have ordered goods for and to which car, according to Expressen. The incident has been reported to relevant authorities in Finland, multiple reports indicate.
A medical incident has been reported in Västmanland. An ophthalmologist in Västmanland has been reported to the Inspectorate for Care and Care by their former employer, news agency Siren reported. The ophthalmologist performed an eye operation on a female patient instead of a male patient due to not checking personal identification numbers and not noticing clear differences in gender and age, the employer said. The affected ophthalmologist no longer works at the clinic, and the female patient has been informed, multiple reports indicate.
Criminal incidents are occurring in Sweden. A ten-year-old boy in Jönköping received several SMS messages offering to buy drugs on the way to school over about a week, P4 Jönköping reported. The sender called themselves 'Tomten' and offered various types of drugs for sale, multiple reports indicate. The incident has been reported to the police, and guardians are urged to talk to their children about suspicious messages, multiple reports indicate. According to police, it is unusual but could involve mass mailings where drug dealers target specific areas or age groups. Police conducted an operation in Hallunda center south of Stockholm where a car is reported to have driven right into the shopping center, according to information to Expressen. A person walking their dog nearby saw the car drive straight in and reports that people then ran away with bags, multiple reports indicate. The incident is being investigated as a serious crime, police told Aftonbladet.
Infrastructure issues are causing disruptions in Stockholm. An oil spill on Essingeleden in Stockholm is causing long queues, the Swedish Transport Administration said. The oil has leaked in a northbound direction near Lilla Essingen, with a risk of slippery road conditions, the Swedish Transport Administration said. The road is expected to be cleared by 8:45, the Swedish Transport Administration said.
Economic indicators show ongoing trends. Food prices continued to rise cautiously in February, according to Statistics Sweden's Consumer Price Index, multiple reports indicate.
International law enforcement is active. The Danish National Unit for Special Crime is searching the Iranian container ship 'Nora' in Kalundborg, reportedly following a request from the FBI, according to research. The vessel is being searched 'inch by inch,' according to cphpost.dk. The crew includes seven Iranians and a Russian second mate, according to research.
Border security is tightening in Europe. Tightened border controls took effect across European airports on Friday, with the Entry/Exit system now fully implemented at Copenhagen Airport, according to research. Police Inspector Claus Birkelyng reported a satisfactory start with no major challenges. The system strengthens border control for third-country nationals in the Schengen area by recording biometric data, including fingerprints and facial images, according to research.
Implications and unknowns remain. Flights to sister companies Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and Swiss are not directly affected by the strike, multiple reports indicate. At Frankfurt Airport, security checkpoints outside the transit area will be closed on 7 March 2024, preventing access to the departure area for passengers starting their journey there, according to research. Transfer processes for connecting passengers in the transit area at Frankfurt Airport are expected to be largely possible, but transit passengers must not leave the transit area, according to research. According to EU law, passengers can claim a lump-sum compensation payment of between €250 and €600 when flights are cancelled at short notice or delayed by more than three hours at their destination. The total number of passengers affected by the Lufthansa strikes across all reported airports and routes has not been confirmed, and the current status of negotiations between Lufthansa and the striking unions remains unclear. Additionally, the specific evidence or request from the FBI that prompted the search of the Iranian ship 'Nora' has not been disclosed.