- Flight cancellations due to strikes at Discover Airways
Experience Airline, a Lufthansa subsidiary, faced flight cancellations on their second day of strikes. The cause was labor actions by both cabin and cockpit personnel, orchestrated by unions UFO and Cockpit (VC), which continue until Friday. At Frankfurt Airport, eight out of 26 scheduled flights for Wednesday were called off, and in Munich, one flight to Ibiza was affected, according to Experience.
Anticipating a similar scenario for the third day of strikes on Thursday, the company has cancelled a long-haul flight to Philadelphia and a round trip to the Turkish resort of Bodrum. Additional cancellations from Frankfurt are likely. However, two short-haul flights will be handled by partner airlines.
The company is making every effort to get affected passengers to their destinations, as confirmed by a spokesperson. Three short-haul flights on Wednesday were managed by partner companies, ensuring no changes for the guests. However, the extended strike remains a hurdle for Experience. Approximately 270 flights are scheduled during the strike period at Frankfurt and Munich airports.
Controversy Surrounding the Strike
The sectoral unions affiliated with the Lufthansa group are leveraging the four-day strike to secure their individual collective bargaining agreements, as management has reached an agreement with rival union Verdi. UFO and VC argue that Verdi represents only a minority of pilots and flight attendants within the company. Experience Airline, established in 2021, operates 27 aircraft serving vacation spots in Europe and beyond, with around 1,900 employees on board.
Jens Ritter, CEO of the Lufthansa main brand, has criticized the strike action. "Our customers are being unnecessarily impacted," he stated on Tuesday evening, referring to the collective bargaining agreement reached with Verdi, which brings prosperous opportunities for staff. Verdi is the primary union within the Lufthansa group and numerous other aviation companies. Ritter added: "These strikes are unnecessary and negatively affect Experience Airline."
Due to the ongoing controversy, Experience Airline expects more disruptions during the strike day on Thursday, potentially leading to more flight cancellations. The unions, UFO and Cockpit (VC), continue to assert that their collective bargaining agreements haven't been adequately addressed, despite Verdi reaching an agreement with management.
