Strikes are expected to continue for a week, rotating around different airports.
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Following a nine-hour walkout in both cities on Friday, the flight attendants began a 17-hour work stoppage at the two airports that led to the cancellation of 520 flights, company spokesman Boris Ogursky said by phone. On the first day of a planned week of protest over failed pension talks, flight attendants were instructed to strike at Frankfurt, Lufthansa’s biggest hub, and Duesseldorf between 1300 and 2200 GMT, affecting around 37,500 passengers. But union head Nicoley Baublies said passengers booked on flights from Monday to Friday should not expect to fly with Lufthansa.
Saturday’s stoppage will begin at 0500 GMT and last until 2200 GMT, UFO said.
A spokesperson for Lufthansa’s cabin crew workers union spoke to Reuters about the final attempts to find a conclusion and reach an agreement.
Lufthansa Group airlines Swiss, Austrian Airlines, Germanwings, Eurowings, Brussels Airlines, Air Dolomiti and Cityline will not be affected by the strike.
Lufthansa said it “regretted” the union’s action and apologised to passengers, saying the short notice of the strikes made it hard to inform them in time and enable them to make alternative travel arrangements.
UFO had said Thursday that industrial action was “unavoidable” after management failed to come up with an improved offer in a long-running dispute over pay and early retirement provisions.
Reuters adds that Lufthansa’s other main hub in Munich will not be subject to walkouts by Lufthansa flight crew until after Sunday, given the school holidays in that part of southern Germany.
The airline had booked a few 1600 hotel rooms for Friday night, mainly in Frankfurt, for its grounded passengers, though around 50 people in transit were forced to spend the night in the airport because they did not have a German visa, the spokeswoman said. UFO wants the current system of early retirement provisions to remain unchanged, while Lufthansa argues that the system is too expensive, given low-priced rivals such as Ryanair and Easyjet breathing down the company’s neck.
Strikes by pilots have already cost Lufthansa 130 million euros so far this year.
Last week, Lufthansa said it was raising its full-year forecasts after low oil prices and positive passenger numbers lifted profits in the third quarter.
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Lufthansa flight crew members walk with candles and banners to the “Lufthansa Aviation Center” at Frankfurt Airport during an initial strike over salaries on November 6, 2015 in Frankfurt, Germany.
