UPDATE - Lufthansa pilots to strike on Friday

UPDATE WITH STATEMENT FROM LUFTHANSA

By Ayhan Simsek and Tuba Sahin

BERLIN (AA) - German air carrier Lufthansa’s pilots will go on a 24-hour strike on Friday over an ongoing pay dispute with the company

The pilots' union Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) said Thursday that the latest talks with the management have failed to make any headway.

“Lufthansa must present a significantly improved offer," negotiator Marcel Groels said in a statement, adding that the positions of the management and the union were “too far apart” at the moment.

He said the collective bargaining commission is demanding compensation for the loss of real wages and internationally competitive remuneration structure in all occupational groups.

Friday’s strike will begin at 00:01 a.m. local time and end at 23:59 p.m. according to the union, and will affect both passenger and cargo flights.

In a separate statement, Lufthansa said it cancelled almost all flights to and from Frankfurt and Munich for Friday as pilots go on a strike.

The airline is canceling 800 flights which will affect 130,000 passengers, it said, adding that Lufthansa is working to return its flight operations to a normal status as quickly as possible.

There might be more flight cancellations or delays this Saturday and Sunday, the airline warned.

"We cannot understand VC's call for a strike. The management has made a very good and socially balanced offer – despite the continuing burdens of the Covid crisis and uncertain prospects for the global economy," Michael Niggemann, Chief Human Resources Officer and Labor Director of Deutsche Lufthansa AG, said.​​​​​​​