Lufthansa Pilots EXTEND Strike Through Thanksgiving, November 24, 2016
In the world of European airlines, strikes seem to be the norm. Maybe it’s ATC (air traffic control), maybe it’s the pilots, or maybe it’s even the ground personnel.
This time, Lufthansa’s pilot union group, the “Vereinigung Cockpit” (VC), has taken it a step further. Originally, the strike yesterday on the 23rd was supposed to last all day, and affect about 900 of the 3000 flights scheduled daily.
The strike is currently underway, despite a last minute effort of Lufthansa to go to the courts at the last minute and get the strike stopped. Today over 100,000 passengers have been either stranded of affected, and Lufthansa is rebooking flights or issuing cancellations for said passengers.
You won’t see this plane flying today OR tomorrow (from lufthansa.com)
Well it seems as if the pilot’s union couldn’t get enough, and they decided to stick it to the airline even harder today, by announcing that they wouldn’t just be striking one day, the day before Thanksgiving, they are going to strike for TWO full days, INCLUDING Thanksgiving.
In my opinion, while the pilot’s union thinks this gives them a power play, for me, it creates a horrible image in the minds of the consumer. Not only are they having to rebook passengers on other airlines, the confidence of the consumer after an event like this is tarnished.
Thousands of passengers are either trying to head overseas to see their families or get to go visit them, and by them playing this underhanded, deceitful and in my opinion, immoral act, they’re hurting themselves in the long run.
It should be known that the union was asking for a 3.7% pay raise, and in the end, Lufthansa agreed to a 2.5% pay raise for the next 3 years.
What are your thoughts? Holding the airline and its passengers hostage, or exercising their rights to get what they want?
November 23, 2016
It’s not Thanksgiving in Germany so it makes me wonder what they are thinking.
November 23, 2016
You do know that no-one else in the world celebrates or even understands Thanksgiving I presume?
November 30, 2016
#FactChecking … Canada does. So does Liberia. This year Japan celebrated Kinrō Kansha no Hi on November 23rd. Also, it doesn’t matter if it’s not celebrated in Germany, there are still dozens of flights TO the USA, and you know how us Americans love to bitch and moan.