Strike disrupts operations at 11 German airports

Over 1,100 flights are expected to be grounded as a result of a warning strike staged by a faction of workers at German airports on Thursday. The Airport Association of Germany (ADV) has estimated that this one-day strike will disrupt travel plans for up to 200,000 passengers.Organized by the Ver.di union, the strike encompasses 25,000 employees responsible for airport security, passenger services, and baggage screening.

Reports from Deutsche Welle indicate that the union is pressing the Federal Association of Aviation Security Companies for a wage hike of 2.8 euros per hour, along with enhancements to bonuses and overtime compensation. However, the federal association argues that fulfilling these demands would incur an additional cost of 250 million euros. Negotiations between the parties, which have thus far yielded no resolution, are slated to resume on February 6.

The one-day strike has impacted operations at 11 major airports across Germany, including Frankfurt, Berlin, Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Cologne, and Stuttgart. Munich and Nuremberg airports remain unaffected by the strike; nevertheless, flights to destinations served by the striking airports face cancellations.

This strike echoes similar actions taken by airport personnel in 2023, as they advocated for salary increases.