Lufthansa pilots are to stage new strike on Thursday

Pilots at Germany’s main airline, Lufthansa, are planning to launch a new strike on Thursday in an ongoing dispute over retirement benefits.

According to the reports, the Vereinigung Cockpit union, representing Lufthansa’s pilots, said late Tuesday that the new walkout will start at 0200 GMT and end at 2259 GMT.

The new strike will affect long-haul and cargo flights but not short- and medium-haul ones, it added.

The strike will be the second at Germany’s flag carrier this week.

An earlier 36-hour walkout from Monday to Wednesday led to the cancellation of nearly half of all scheduled flights and disrupted travel for some 150,000 passengers.

Lufthansa officials have warned to extend the strike if their demands are not met.

The airliner wants to cut transition payments for the pilots who seek to retire early.