The Vereinigung Cockpit union has called over 5,000 pilots at Lufthansa and Lufthansa Cargo to a 48-hour strike starting Thursday, March 12, 2026. The action is set to cause major flight cancellations and delays at German airports. Travelers should check their flight status and be aware of their rights.
The Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) union has called for a strike at the core Lufthansa company and its cargo subsidiary Lufthansa Cargo. The 48-hour industrial action begins on March 12, 2026, at 00:01 and ends on March 13, 2026, at 23:59. At Lufthansa Cityline, pilots will stop work for 24 hours, affecting flights departing from German airports on March 12.
The strike impacts flights at all German airports, including main hubs Frankfurt am Main and Munich, as well as Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Stuttgart, Berlin, Hannover, Cologne/Bonn, Bremen, Dresden, Nuremberg, and Leipzig/Halle. The exact number of cancellations remains unclear, but the previous strike on February 12, 2026, led to over 800 flights being canceled, affecting around 100,000 passengers. Lufthansa intends to operate as many flights as possible through other Lufthansa Group airlines or partners.
Exceptions apply to flights to the Middle East due to the current situation: Egypt, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Yemen, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Airlines such as Eurowings, Swiss, Austrian, ITA, Brussels Airlines, and Discover are unaffected.
The strike stems from failed tariff negotiations on occupational pensions at Lufthansa and Cargo, and on a new compensation tariff at Cityline. Since the February strike, the employer has not presented a new offer, according to the VC.
Affected passengers will be notified by email on March 11, provided contact details are up to date. Flight status can be checked on the Lufthansa website or app. Options include free rebooking to Lufthansa Group flights between March 10 and 23, 2026, refunds, or exchanges for train tickets on domestic flights. In cases of delays or cancellations, Lufthansa must provide hotel and meals.
Travelers are entitled to compensation under EU law, as the strike does not qualify as an extraordinary circumstance: up to 250 euros for short-haul (up to 1,500 km), 400 euros for medium-haul (up to 3,500 km), and 600 euros for long-haul (over 3,500 km). Claims can be filed via the EU form with Lufthansa or through portals like Flightright.
