Lufthansa Pilots' Union Announces 48-Hour Strike Scheduled for April 13

Lufthansa Strike Looms as Pilots' Union Calls for 48-Hour Action

The Vereinigung Cockpit (VC), Germany's pilots' union, has announced a 48-hour strike at Lufthansa, set to begin on Monday, April 13, following a breakdown in negotiations over pension schemes. The strike, which will affect Lufthansa, Lufthansa Cargo, and Lufthansa CityLine, is scheduled to run from 00:01 CET on Monday to 23:59 CET on Tuesday.

The union has specifically exempted 13 Middle Eastern destinations from the strike, citing the current geopolitical situation and humanitarian concerns amid regional volatility. These exclusions include flights to Israel, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, Jordan, and others.

In addition, pilots at the budget subsidiary Eurowings have been instructed to join the industrial action for a single day on Monday, April 13. The strike is the latest in a series of disputes between the VC and Lufthansa, which has seen several walkouts in recent months.

| Strike Action | Lufthansa | Lufthansa Cargo | Lufthansa CityLine | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Duration | 48 hours | 48 hours | 48 hours | | Dates | April 13-14 | April 13-14 | April 13-14 |

Lufthansa has responded to the VC's announcement, stating that the union's demand to "double an already above-average and excellent company pension scheme is absurd and unachievable." The airline has also accused the VC of taking a "completely new level of escalation."

The walkout adds to a turbulent start to the year for Europe's biggest airline, which is also dealing with the fallout from the broader geopolitical challenges affecting air travel, including the war in Iran. Earlier this month, a separate union called on cabin crew to walk off the job, hitting the busy Easter holiday period, and in January, another pilots' two-day strike over pensions saw around half of the airline's flights grounded.

Cathay Pacific Cuts Flights Due to Soaring Jet Fuel Prices

Meanwhile, Cathay Pacific Airways has announced that it will reduce its flight schedule from mid-May through the end of June due to soaring jet fuel prices driven by the ongoing Middle East conflict. The airline plans to cancel approximately 2% of its total passenger flights between May 16 and June 30, 2026. Its low-cost subsidiary, HK Express, will implement a 6% reduction in services starting May 11.

The flag carrier has also confirmed that the existing suspension of passenger services to Dubai and Riyadh will be extended through June 30. Despite the current cuts, Cathay Pacific and HK Express intend to resume full scheduled operations starting in July. However, aviation executives warn that the U.S. President Donald Trump's recently brokered two-week ceasefire with Iran is unlikely to provide immediate relief, and global fuel supplies are expected to remain constrained for months.