Flying Lufthansa (strike)

Spotted this early this morning, just in time to change our flights across the pond to get the caribbean cruise next weekend.

We got caught in Lufthansa's last strike. Not fun! Glad you were able to change your flights.

Long distance flights should not be affected. They want to operate those with pilots usually working in higher management ranks.

There´s still a slight chance that the strike won´t happen. And so far it´s Wednesday til Friday.

steamboats

Long distance flights should not be affected. They want to operate those with pilots usually working in higher management ranks.

 

 

steamboats

Either they're '' management ranks'' in which case they're unaffected by the Union's job actions OR they're still unionized pilots, in which case they will not cross the picket line.,whatever the deployment itinerary is.

IMO, ''management'' folks are not unionized.

Perhaps you're suggesting that former rank and file union pilots, since promoted to a management position, might be tapped to operate some critical itinerary flights....

Cheers

Spotted this early this morning, just in time to change our flights across the pond to get the caribbean cruise next weekend.

"Lufthansa announced strike of the pilots union from April, 2nd – 4th, 2014

The pilots union “Vereinigung Cockpit” (VC) has announced worldwide labour action of its members at Lufthansa, Lufthansa Cargo and Germanwings for three days from Wednesday, April 2nd 2014, 00:00, until Friday, 4th April 2014, at 23:59. "

One thing about travel to Europe is you have to prepare for strikes, whether its pilots, dockworkers, lock workers (river cruises), rail workers, etc.

I remember being on a train from Rome to Florence and the train stopped in the middle of nowhere for exactly an hour. The Italian rail workers called a wildcat strike for an hour, just to show that they could do it.

Then a couple of years later, going by rail from Madrid to Lisbon, the train stopped at the Spanish-Portuguese border and it was explained that the Portuguese rail workers were on strike. We sat there a couple of hours, until we continued on to Lisbon. Apparently, the rail line was sending buses from Lisbon to pick up the passengers, so the rail workers relented.

What is so amazing to Americans is that these workers (I assume Lufthansa is owned by the German government) work for the government. This could not happen in the US, since our air traffic controlled were fired for trying that in the 80s.

Cute name for a union...never heard that one before

Spotted this early this morning, just in time to change our flights across the pond to get the caribbean cruise next weekend.

"Lufthansa announced strike of the pilots union from April, 2nd – 4th, 2014

The pilots union “Vereinigung Cockpit” (VC) has announced worldwide labour action of its members at Lufthansa, Lufthansa Cargo and Germanwings for three days from Wednesday, April 2nd 2014, 00:00, until Friday, 4th April 2014, at 23:59. "

We got caught in Lufthansa's last strike. Not fun! Glad you were able to change your flights.

:eek: We will be using Lufthansa in mid May to go from DUS to Berlin and back. How will I know if there might be a strike? Do you have a webpage link?

:eek: We will be using Lufthansa in mid May to go from DUS to Berlin and back. How will I know if there might be a strike? Do you have a webpage link?

They do usually post the strike dates ahead of time. They're last strike caused us to have no luggage in Europe for 22 days....I'm now very Leary of Lufthansa

What is so amazing to Americans is that these workers (I assume Lufthansa is owned by the German government) work for the government. .

Well, you should know about "assuming". Lufthansa is not owned by the German government, and hasn't been since 1995. It is owned by stockholders.

By the way 4774Papa, I am hoping you don't make the same assumptions about Air Canada, British Airways, Air France, or for that matter, American Airlines.

Iamthesea, you usually can check with the LH website.

This week the airport staff was on strike for one day and lots of flights had been cancelled.

Next week it´s the LH pilots (which do have their own union called Cockpit). Actually you have to check which airline is operating your flight. Right now it´s LH, LH Cargo and Germanwings (except the Germanwings flights operated by Eurowings). The news does not mention LH City Line. So all flights operated by LH City Line might not be affected. So even if you have a LH flight number you have to check the operating airline to know whether your flight may be affected or not.

LH announced a basic flight schedule for Monday noon.

steamboats

They do usually post the strike dates ahead of time. They're last strike caused us to have no luggage in Europe for 22 days....I'm now very Leary of Lufthansa

If we make it to DUS, we are storing a cruise bag in the airport and taking a carry-on to Berlin. ;)

Iamthesea, you usually can check with the LH website.

 

This week the airport staff was on strike for one day and lots of flights had been cancelled.

 

Next week it´s the LH pilots (which do have their own union called Cockpit). Actually you have to check which airline is operating your flight. Right now it´s LH, LH Cargo and Germanwings (except the Germanwings flights operated by Eurowings). The news does not mention LH City Line. So all flights operated by LH City Line might not be affected. So even if you have a LH flight number you have to check the operating airline to know whether your flight may be affected or not.

 

LH announced a basic flight schedule for Monday noon.

 

steamboats

Thanks, I'll keep checking the website. I have no idea who might be operating the flight. :confused:

I guess if we don't make the Berlin leg, it will not be the end of the world, but sure would like to see it. We make a stop at Wandermunde on that cruise, but did not want to go all the way into Berlin, so planned this stop pre-cruise.

I am getting ready to leave for another cruise in a few hours, so I'll check back here when I return.

By the way 4774Papa, I am hoping you don't make the same assumptions about Air Canada, British Airways, Air France, or for that matter, American Airlines.

We usually fly Delta, no unions.

We usually fly Delta, no unions.

Hmmm....the Delta Pilots are unionized.

We usually fly Delta, no unions.

You're joking, right? The pilots, FA's, ramp agents, baggage handlers, every mainline domestic airline in the US is as unionized as unions get.

You're joking, right? The pilots, FA's, ramp agents, baggage handlers, every mainline domestic airline in the US is as unionized as unions get.

Delta is not fully unionized. Northwestern, which merged with Delta a few years ago was union, but Delta only partially (I believe its pilots are).

When Delta was smaller, it had no unions. Its employees actually purchased an airplane for the company.

Don't forget that USA airline strikes are covered under the Railway Labor Act, which puts many layers of negotiation and mediation prior to any legal strike. I don't believe you'll find similar legislation elsewhere in the world.

Leaving aside the comments about strikes, unions and Europeans (some of which are hilariously infected by utter ignorance), Lufthansa has this important information on its website:-

Lufthansa will publish a list with an adjusted flight schedule as well as information for passenger services on Monday, 31st March 2014.

The list of cancelled flights is now up: http://www.lufthansa.com/online/portal/lh/de/flight_services/cancelled_flights?l=en. This is not a fixed list, so it is worth checking periodically.

Cancellations are beginning from 1400 today (Monday) - so about an hour ago as I post this - although only four Monday flights are cancelled. The last flights in the cancellation list are some inbounds on Saturday morning 5 April 2014.

Looks like most if not all of the long hauls are cancelled during teh strike. I'd be on the horn with them asap with a list of *A flights that would work for you and see if you can be rebooked. Make sure you get a seat assignement, without one the ticket isn't worth much on an oversold situation--which is likely to happen.

I am on an LH flight this afternoon which hasn't been cancelled, but I see the same flight is cancelled tomorrow. There goes any chance of empty seats, and although I show a seat assignment in my reservation, my boarding pass states that I am waitlisted for a seat.

Despite four calls to four different agents yesterday, none of them could fix this, and none of them believed my boarding pass said I was waitlisted for a seat. Guess I'll find out at the airport.

The joys of travel.

I am on an LH flight this afternoon which hasn't been cancelled, but I see the same flight is cancelled tomorrow. There goes any chance of empty seats, and although I show a seat assignment in my reservation, my boarding pass states that I am waitlisted for a seat.

 

Despite four calls to four different agents yesterday, none of them could fix this, and none of them believed my boarding pass said I was waitlisted for a seat. Guess I'll find out at the airport.

 

The joys of travel.

Good luck!

Couldn't use the kiosk at the airport, as it said I didn't have a valid ticket, so had to wait in line. UA or LH did not ticket it correctly, though I had the ticket number, they had a different one.

They had given away my seat I've had for almost six months (why I don't know), and I find I am now stuck in the middle seat in the middle row for a 10+ hour flight. There is nothing else left and I don't have a ticket in an upgradeable fare class, so I'm stuck.

I hate codeshares and feel quite unhappy with LH today. They probably gave my aisle seat away to someone who was moved from tomorrow's flight.

In the bigger picture this is nothing, but sometimes it's the little things that push you over the edge.

Couldn't use the kiosk at the airport, as it said I didn't have a valid ticket, so had to wait in line. UA or LH did not ticket it correctly, though I had the ticket number, they had a different one.

They had given away my seat I've had for almost six months (why I don't know), and I find I am now stuck in the middle seat in the middle row for a 10+ hour flight. There is nothing else left and I don't have a ticket in an upgradeable fare class, so I'm stuck.

I hate codeshares and feel quite unhappy with LH today. They probably gave my aisle seat away to someone who was moved from tomorrow's flight.

In the bigger picture this is nothing, but sometimes it's the little things that push you over the edge.

Agreed, and I'd be looking at other carrier options moving forward. Sometimes lowest cost isn't the best option.

I don't know about price; these tickets were a mistake fare; no fuel surcharge was added. I guess it's worth a little suffering to fly to Rome at this price.

GA was able to move me next to my daughter, and she's giving me her aisle seat, so all's well.

Another note, LH employees are going through the gate area and weighing people's carry ons with a hand held scale (this is at SEA). So far I've seen eight people have to gate check their bags!