Pilots of the German airline Eurowings went on strike for three days on Monday evening. The union action started as planned, a spokesman for the pilots’ union Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) said. No other offer has been made. Eurowings connections between Germany and Vienna are also affected by the strike, Vienna airport announced on Sunday. In this environment, 18 flights (ie 9 outward and 9 return flights) will be cancelled.
Vienna Airport advised travelers to check with the airline or tour operator about the status of the booked flight. The destinations Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Cologne and Stuttgart were classified as endangered. The strike started at midnight Monday and is expected to last until Wednesday.
Austrian subsidiary Eurowings Europe not affected by the strike
The fact that a large part of the flights can continue despite the strike is not least due to the fact that the machines of the Austrian subsidiary Eurowings Europe are not affected by the strike. She flies “under full load,” it said. The company also expects that many pilots from Eurowings Germany will not follow the call for a strike.
Eurowings Discover airline, which operates from Frankfurt and Munich, is not affected by VC’s current strike call. In addition, the Lufthansa subsidiary uses aircraft from partner companies, which also operate part of the flights in other ways.
Düsseldorf Airport particularly hard hit
Düsseldorf airport was particularly hard hit by the strike. According to Eurowings airport, 102 of the 171 scheduled Eurowings flights for Monday were canceled before the official start of the strike. 43 connections were canceled in Cologne/Bonn, and 40 take-offs and landings were canceled in Stuttgart.
It is the second time in less than 14 days that pilots at the Lufthansa subsidiary have stopped working. During the first strike on October 6, about half of all flights were cancelled. Tens of thousands of passengers therefore had to transfer to other flights or the train – or postpone their journey.
Pilots fight for better working conditions
The Cockpit Association had called on Eurowings pilots to stop working from Monday midnight to Wednesday (19 October). The union explained that the reason for this was the employer’s insufficient offer for the collective labor agreement. She wants to push through better working conditions for the pilots in the labor dispute. Eurowings criticized the strike as disproportionate and irresponsible.
All in all, Eurowings assumes that, despite the union action, more than 230 of the approximately 400 flights scheduled for Monday will take place. The Lufthansa subsidiary also expects to be able to carry out more than half of the planned flight program on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Eurowings asked customers to stay informed about the status of their flight on the website or via the Eurowings app. Passengers should be offered other travel options, such as transferring to a train or rebooking on another flight.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
