Lufthansa ground staff strike for higher pay amid inflation

BERLIN (AA) - Lufthansa canceled more than 1,000 flights on Wednesday due to a strike by the company’s ground personnel over an ongoing pay dispute.

The one-day strike, which started at 3.45 a.m. local time (0145GMT), has forced Germany’s flag carrier to cancel almost all flights from Frankfurt and Munich airports.

Major disruptions and flight delays were also expected at Berlin, Cologne/Bonn and Dusseldorf airports, adding to the travel chaos during the peak holiday period.

More than 134,000 passengers will be affected by the flight cancellations, according to Lufthansa.

The ver.di trade union is demanding a 9.5% pay rise to help employees beat inflation.

The next round of wage negotiations is expected to take place in Frankfurt next week.