Lufthansa to scrap half of Tuesday's flights amid German strike

Lufthansa cancelled half of Tuesday’s scheduled flights after a public-sector union set plans for a strike that will stifle operations at the German airline’s two largest airport hubs. More than 800 out of 1,600 trips won’t take place on Tuesday, the Lufthansa unit said Monday. The Verdi union said it will stage a warning strike of ground staff and fire fighters starting at 5 a.m., taking place at airports in Frankfurt and Munich, as well as smaller sites at Cologne and Bremen. The strike is “completely unacceptable,” said Lufthansa’s personnel and legal chief, Bettina Volkens, noting that the company isn’t a negotiating party in the conflict. The union is fighting for 6% higher pay for 2.3m public-service workers. About 58 of the cancelled flights are long distance, Lufthansa said. Altogether, about 90,000 passengers will be affected. Customers scheduled to fly through Frankfurt or Munich on Tuesday will be allowed to postpone their booking free of charge within seven days, while flights that are operating may be delayed.<br/>