Germany’s flag-carrier Lufthansa was running a largely normal timetable again on Friday, 13 February 2026, after a rare one-day strike in which both its pilots’ union (Vereinigung Cockpit) and cabin-crew union (UFO) downed tools simultaneously.
The coordinated 24-hour walk-out on Thursday, 12 February, forced the airline to cancel almost 800 flights – roughly half its worldwide programme – and stranded, re-routed or delayed an estimated 100,000 passengers at Frankfurt, Munich and out-station airports. The dispute with the pilots centres on pension entitlements and wage progression, while cabin crew are protesting the planned wind-down of regional subsidiary CityLine and a perceived erosion of roster stability.
Because the unions gave 48 hours’ notice, Lufthansa was able to rebook a large share of passengers in advance onto group affiliates Swiss, Austrian, Brussels Airlines and Eurowings, or onto rail services inside Germany. Nevertheless, departure boards in Frankfurt and Munich were dominated by red “cancelled” signs for long-haul destinations such as New York, Shanghai and São Paulo, creating knock-on disruptions for connecting itineraries and air-cargo uplift.
![Lufthansa Restores Schedule After Dual Pilot-Cabin-Crew Strike Grounds 100,000 Travellers]()
Travellers rebooking on alternate airlines or adding unexpected stopovers should also double-check visa or entry requirements, and VisaHQ can streamline that process. The platform’s Germany portal (https://www.visahq.com/germany/) offers real-time guidance and application support for transit and tourist visas, helping passengers secure needed documents quickly while flight schedules remain in flux.
By Friday morning operations had stabilised. Fraport, the operator of Frankfurt Airport, scheduled a record 1,160 movements – about 15 % above a typical winter day – by adding extra sections to carry displaced travellers. Lufthansa warned, however, that tight crew rotations and aircraft positioning could still lead to “occasional delays” through the weekend. Passengers whose trips were cancelled remain entitled under EU261 rules to re-routing, meals and hotel accommodation, plus compensation of €250-€600 unless extraordinary circumstances can be proven.
For corporate travel managers the episode is another reminder to diversify booking channels and maintain up-to-date contact details in duty-of-care systems. Industrial relations at both Lufthansa and Deutsche Bahn remain volatile, making same-day contingency plans essential during Germany’s busy Carnival and conference season.
The coordinated 24-hour walk-out on Thursday, 12 February, forced the airline to cancel almost 800 flights – roughly half its worldwide programme – and stranded, re-routed or delayed an estimated 100,000 passengers at Frankfurt, Munich and out-station airports. The dispute with the pilots centres on pension entitlements and wage progression, while cabin crew are protesting the planned wind-down of regional subsidiary CityLine and a perceived erosion of roster stability.
Because the unions gave 48 hours’ notice, Lufthansa was able to rebook a large share of passengers in advance onto group affiliates Swiss, Austrian, Brussels Airlines and Eurowings, or onto rail services inside Germany. Nevertheless, departure boards in Frankfurt and Munich were dominated by red “cancelled” signs for long-haul destinations such as New York, Shanghai and São Paulo, creating knock-on disruptions for connecting itineraries and air-cargo uplift.
Travellers rebooking on alternate airlines or adding unexpected stopovers should also double-check visa or entry requirements, and VisaHQ can streamline that process. The platform’s Germany portal (https://www.visahq.com/germany/) offers real-time guidance and application support for transit and tourist visas, helping passengers secure needed documents quickly while flight schedules remain in flux.
By Friday morning operations had stabilised. Fraport, the operator of Frankfurt Airport, scheduled a record 1,160 movements – about 15 % above a typical winter day – by adding extra sections to carry displaced travellers. Lufthansa warned, however, that tight crew rotations and aircraft positioning could still lead to “occasional delays” through the weekend. Passengers whose trips were cancelled remain entitled under EU261 rules to re-routing, meals and hotel accommodation, plus compensation of €250-€600 unless extraordinary circumstances can be proven.
For corporate travel managers the episode is another reminder to diversify booking channels and maintain up-to-date contact details in duty-of-care systems. Industrial relations at both Lufthansa and Deutsche Bahn remain volatile, making same-day contingency plans essential during Germany’s busy Carnival and conference season.
