Lufthansa pilots to go on strike again

Pilots at Germany’s main airline, Lufthansa, are set to go on an eight-hour strike in a dispute with the German flag carrier’s management over retirement arrangements.

In a statement released on Monday, the Vereinigung Cockpit, the union representing Lufthansa pilots, said pilots on international long-distance flights from Frankfurt will walk out of their jobs on Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. local time (0700 to 1500 GMT).

The union also noted that there will be no long-haul flights from Frankfurt.

“As Lufthansa management has not put forward an offer that is suitable for a compromise, we see ourselves forced to take further action,” the union said, adding, “We regret any inconvenience” caused by this.

It is the fourth work stoppage by Lufthansa pilots over the past three weeks as part of their campaign to head off the German airline’s planned early retirement scheme.

A strike last Wednesday by pilots at Munich Airport, Lufthansa’s biggest airport after Frankfurt, cancelled more than a hundred flights across Europe.

The upcoming industrial action is aimed at increasing pressure on Lufthansa in negotiations to keep the transition payment for those wanting to retire early.

This is while the airline, which faces tough competition from European budget airlines and major Persian Gulf airlines, wants to cut those payments.