Germany: Hundreds of flights cancelled as strikes hit airports

A spokesman for Verdi accepted that the strike would affect many, but told German media that causing disruption was necessary to extracting a better offer from employers.

Many of Frankfurt Airport‘s 1,770 scheduled flights have already been cancelled, while the majority of Munich’s 820 flights are expected to be cancelled.

Hundreds more cancellations are anticipated across Stuttgart, Dusseldorf, Cologne and Berlin.

Many passengers had already checked in their luggage and were having problems getting it returned, according to public broadcaster NDR. It also reports that the strike has brought air traffic at Hanover Airport to a standstill.

Beyond airports, Verdi has also called for strikes in waste collection across several German cities, including Berlin, Essen and Kiel, where bins have gone unemptied since last week.

The union is demanding an 8% pay increase for airport workers, or at least €350 more per month, along with higher bonuses and extra time off. Employers have so far rejected these demands as unaffordable.

Further strikes were expected to go ahead this week in facilities operated by the federal government and local authorities, news agency DPA reported, citing a Verdi spokesperson.