Lufthansa flights to and from Copenhagen Airport Kastrup are largely cancelled on Thursday and Friday due to a pilot strike. At Copenhagen Airport Kastrup, 14 out of 18 Lufthansa departures and 14 out of 18 arrivals are cancelled, while from Stockholm Arlanda, two out of six Lufthansa departures are cancelled on Thursday, and six out of nine departures are cancelled on Friday. The strike was called by the union Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) after failed negotiations over pension levels. The strike is due to a dispute over wage and pension levels. The strike is set from April 16 to April 17 to resolve a pension dispute through arbitration, though a two-day strike by pilots at Lufthansa began on Thursday morning (March 12th) and is set to last until the end of Friday (March 13th).
Strike details reveal ongoing labor tensions, with the union calling out cabin crew on strike after negotiations for a new collective agreement broke down. German pilots' union VC has called for continued strike action at Lufthansa group airlines. Pilots are also striking on Monday and Tuesday, impacting tens of thousands of passengers. Lufthansa is bracing for further disruption as cabin crew union UFO announced a two-day strike. The union's president, Andreas Pinheiro, stated at a press conference that there is no movement from employers on pension schemes, reflecting the core grievance, while Lufthansa board member Michael Niggemann countered at a press conference that the union is being indifferent to passengers, illustrating the acrimonious negotiations.
Impact on specific routes is severe, with Lufthansa cancelling flights between Germany and Norway due to a cabin crew strike on Friday. All flights between Germany and Norway are cancelled, including routes to Bergen, Stavanger, and Oslo. All Eurowings GmbH flights from German airports on April 16 will be impacted by the strike, while flights by sister companies Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and Swiss are not directly affected by the strike. Flight cancellations are especially expected at Germany's major air travel hubs, Munich and Frankfurt, with of nine arrivals and departures to Munich and Frankfurt over two days, seven were cancelled as of Thursday afternoon.
Passenger impact is significant, with approximately 500 departures and around 90,000 passengers affected by the one-day strike from the German flight union. Around 72,000 passengers faced travel disruption in Germany from a previous strike. Lufthansa will inform affected passengers via email and offer rebooking or refunds. Passengers affected by the strike should have received an email by Thursday morning. 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 strike targets Lufthansa during a time when many Germans are returning from Easter holidays, exacerbating travel woes.
There is no movement from employers on pension schemes.
Previous strike context underscores ongoing labor tensions at Lufthansa, with the airline having cancelled flights for March 6 and 7, 2024 due to strikes. Last Friday's cabin crew strike resulted in hundreds of flight cancellations. Lufthansa City Airlines signed its first labor agreement with salary increases. Lufthansa plans to close CityLine by year-end, adding to the backdrop of restructuring and disputes.
Airport security strikes in Germany add to travel chaos, with security staff at Frankfurt and Hamburg airports on strike on March 7, 2024. At Frankfurt Airport, security checkpoints outside the transit area will be closed, preventing passengers starting their journey there from reaching their flights. There will be no departures on March 7, 2024 at Hamburg Airport. Transfer processes for connecting passengers in the transit area at Frankfurt Airport are expected to be largely possible, offering some relief amid the disruptions.
Other travel disruptions include an oil spill on Essingeleden in Stockholm causing long queues. Tightened border controls took effect across European airports on Friday, with the Entry/Exit (EES) system now fully implemented at Copenhagen Airport. The EES system strengthens border control for third-country nationals in the Schengen area by recording biometric data, including fingerprints and facial images. Police Inspector Claus Birkelyng stated in an official statement that it was a satisfactory start with no major challenges for the new border control system.
International news highlights include at least 1,639 people executed in Iran last year, the highest number since 1989, with executions in Iran increasing by 68% compared to the previous year. Mark Rutte has delivered an ultimatum from Donald Trump to NATO to send warships to the Middle East. Hungary's currency is strengthening significantly after the weekend's election. Péter Magyar's party Tisza won a two-thirds majority in the election, signaling political shifts.
The union is being indifferent to passengers.
Economic updates show the Stockholm stock exchange opened weakly downward due to war concerns. Oil prices are fluctuating due to Iranian attacks in the Persian Gulf. Oil prices are surging, potentially leading to a crisis. Food prices increased slightly in February.
Local Scandinavian incidents involve Viking Line suffering a data breach involving passenger information, with the breach affecting passengers who pre-ordered tax-free goods for their cars. No credit card details have leaked in the Viking Line data breach. The incident has been reported to authorities in Finland. An ophthalmologist in Västmanland has been reported to the Inspectorate for Care and Social Services by a former employer after performing an operation on the wrong patient. A ten-year-old boy in Jönköping received SMS offers to buy drugs on the way to school, and the incident has been reported to the police.
Crime and police actions include a man arrested after a car chase on E18 in Västerås. Two people were arrested after a police chase in Mölndal. The Danish National Unit for Special Crime (NSK) is searching the Iranian container ship 'Nora' in Kalundborg, reportedly following a request from the FBI, with the crew including seven Iranians and a Russian second mate.
Unknowns and implications center on strike uncertainties, with the specific dates and duration of the strikes unclear due to conflicting reports between March and April timelines. Whether the strikes involve only pilots, only cabin crew, or both remains ambiguous as different sources mention different unions and reasons. The broader travel impact is still unfolding, with negotiations between Lufthansa and the unions ongoing but their status and likelihood of resolution unconfirmed.