Full waiting halls, long queues at security checks and travelers who didn’t expect this: it was clear that the Lufthansa ground staff would go on strike on Thursday. Then, unannounced, strikes by security staff at Düsseldorf Airport occurred.
Security workers at Cologne/Bonn Airport are also on strike unannounced – since Wednesday evening. Since the strike there affects the freight sector, according to Verdi, passenger flights should hardly be affected.
Long line at security check | Image source: WDR
The unannounced strike by security staff at Düsseldorf Airport began at 3:30 a.m. on Thursday morning. All passengers who had planned a flight from Düsseldorf for Thursday were asked to find out about their flight status from the airlines or tour operators before their arrival, Düsseldorf Airport said. Passengers had to be prepared for a long wait.
The unannounced strike by security personnel is scheduled to end on Friday night.
Switching to rail transport was also not an alternative. At the same time, the GDL strike in Deutsche Bahn passenger transport began early in the morning.
Verdi criticizes airport operators
In Düsseldorf, the additional strike in the security area led to delays in flight operations, but no major cancellations.
Strike also in the security sector | Image source: Verdi
Verdi justifies the unannounced strike by saying that the airport operators would use their own staff to circumvent the strikes and thus interfere in the collective bargaining dispute. “The operators are trying to use strikebreakers who are put under pressure to make our industrial action come to nothing“, says Verdi secretary Özay Tarim about the short-term expansion of the strike.
More strikes planned
“We don’t want to announce, we want to speak a different language. We are in NRW strong. We’re going to show those out there what we’re capable of.”Tarim appealed in a speech to the strikers on Thursday morning.
The Verdi secretary also does not rule out further unannounced strikes. “The industrial dispute is not over. We will probably have to gather here again in the next few days”. The airport operator had announced that it would only have time for negotiations on March 20th. “They’re playing for time”criticizes Tarim.
Verdi extends strikes at airports unannounced.
WDR Studios NRW.
March 7, 2024.
00:52 Min..
Available until March 7, 2026.
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Düsseldorf Airport condemns unannounced strike
In a press release from Düsseldorf Airport, Lars Redeligx, CEO, heavily criticized Verdi’s strategy on Thursday: “This approach is deliberately aimed at damaging our airport and our passengers. They are deprived of the opportunity to adjust their travel plans accordingly. Verdi calculates with waiting times, delays, canceled flights and stranded passengers.”
Together with the airport’s partners, everything is being done to maintain flight operations and to keep the burden on passengers as low as possible.
Dozens of flights canceled due to ground staff strike
Warning strike on Wednesday evening in Cologne/Bonn | Image source: Verdi
Parallel to the security workers is on the two NRWAirports have called on Lufthansa ground staff to go on strike since Wednesday evening and until Saturday morning. Following the announcement, dozens of flights have already been canceled at both airports for Thursday and Friday, especially domestic connections to Frankfurt and Munich.
Almost all lines at Münster-Osnabrück Airport were affected
In Cologne/Bonn, all 29 connections to and from Munich were canceled during the strike period. Düsseldorf Airport expects that around 70 Lufthansa flights will be canceled by the announced end of the strike on Saturday morning, but otherwise expects flight operations to be largely normal.
This is also particularly affected FMO in Greven. All flights to and from Frankfurt and Munich are canceled until Saturday. Only the individual connections to and from Antalya, Palma and Pristina are not affected.
Our sources:
- Verdi
- Cologne/Bonn Airport
- Dusseldorf Airport
- WDR reporter on site
- Münster-Osnabrück Airport