Lufthansa strike grounds hundreds of flights in Germany

BERLIN (AA) - A pilots' strike has forced German air carrier Lufthansa to cancel nearly 800 flights on Friday, affecting around 130,000 passengers.

The strike began at 00:01 a.m. local time and is set to continue until 23:59 p.m., according to a statement by the pilots' union Vereinigung Cockpit (VC).

Lufthansa has asked its passengers to check the current status of their flight online, contact a call center for a rebooking solution, and avoid traveling to the airport.

“Due to the strike, only a few or no service counters are open there. It is therefore highly unlikely that you will be offered an immediate alternative there either,” the company said.

Nearly all Lufthansa flights from Frankfurt and Munich hubs were canceled on Friday due to the strike.

There might be more flight cancellations or delays this Saturday and Sunday due to the effects of the strike, the airline warned.

The pilots’ union decided to strike after negotiations with the management failed to make any headway on Wednesday.

“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 an internationally competitive remuneration structure in all occupational groups.