Finance
Almost 800 Lufthansa flights cancelled as pilots, cabin crew walk out
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 12, 2026
2 min readLast updated: February 12, 2026
Quick Summary
Lufthansa cancels hundreds of flights as pilots and cabin crew strike, affecting 70,000 passengers. The strike coincides with major events in Germany.
Lufthansa Cancels Nearly 800 Flights Amid Pilot and Crew Strike
Impact of Lufthansa's Strike on Passengers
BERLIN, Feb 12 (Reuters) - Hundreds of Lufthansa flights were cancelled on Thursday as pilots and flight attendants went on strike at Germany's largest airline, which has for years struggled to rein in costs at its core brand.
Overview of Flight Cancellations
The company said in a statement that close to 800 flights had been cancelled, disrupting the travel plans of about 100,000 passengers.
Union Actions and Negotiations
This "affects our passengers extremely harshly and disproportionately," it said, adding it expects a return to its normal schedule on Friday.
Future of Lufthansa Operations
German airport association ADV estimated that more than 460 flights will be cancelled, with almost 70,000 passengers affected.
Departure boards for Frankfurt and Munich, Lufthansa's hubs in Germany, showed most flights were cancelled for the day, including to overseas destinations.
Lufthansa earlier said it would try to rebook passengers on its other airlines or partner airlines before returning to its normal schedule on Friday.
The walkout, organised by pilots' union VC and flight attendants' union UFO, comes as the Berlinale film festival starts in the German capital on Thursday, and politicians and military officials gather for the Munich Security Conference, which will commence on Friday.
Pilots are in conflict with Lufthansa's namesake core airline and its cargo division over pensions.
Their union declared readiness to strike after a ballot last year to pressure the company into granting more generous retirement benefits.
Talks have since resumed but have been intermittent and without result.
Lufthansa, which has described its core airline as a "problem child", says there is no financial leeway for the demands.
Separately, the UFO union of flight attendants called on its members at Lufthansa's CityLine subsidiary to strike over the planned shutdown of its flight operations and "the employer's continued refusal to negotiate a collective social plan".
"The simultaneous industrial action by pilots is a coincidence, but one that is welcome," said UFO union representative Harry Jaeger.
"We want to annoy management, not passengers," he added.
(Reporting by Klaus Lauer and Tilman Blasshofer, writing by Thomas Seythal and Ludwig Burger, editing by Anil D'Silva)
Key Takeaways
- •Lufthansa faces major flight cancellations due to a strike.
- •Over 460 flights and 70,000 passengers affected.
- •Strike coincides with major events in Germany.
- •Pilots demand better retirement benefits.
- •Lufthansa struggles with cost management.
Frequently Asked Questions about Almost 800 Lufthansa flights cancelled as pilots, cabin crew walk out
1What is a strike?
A strike is a work stoppage initiated by employees to express grievances or demand changes in working conditions, wages, or other employment terms.
2What is a union?
A union is an organized group of workers who come together to make decisions about the terms of their work, including wages, benefits, and working conditions.
3What are flight cancellations?
Flight cancellations occur when an airline decides to not operate a scheduled flight, often due to operational issues, strikes, or severe weather conditions.
4What is rebooking?
Rebooking is the process of changing a passenger's flight reservation to a different flight, typically due to cancellations or schedule changes.
5What is a core airline?
A core airline refers to the main operating division of an airline company, responsible for the majority of its flight operations and services.
