On its 100th anniversary, Lufthansa faced protests from hundreds of flight attendants and pilots at Frankfurt Airport over long-simmering labor disputes, coinciding with the abrupt shutdown of subsidiary CityLine amid ongoing strikes.
Hundreds of Lufthansa flight attendants and pilots, wearing yellow vests, marched along the Frankfurt Airport ring road, chanting 'Wir sind Lufthansa.' Placards proclaimed 'Sklaverei – für faire Arbeitsbedingungen' and showed a galley scene with workers rowing while executives squeezed lemons.
The demonstrations unfolded outside the 'Hangar One' conference center, where management celebrated the milestone. Attendees, including Chancellor Friedrich Merz, lauded the airline's century-long history. CEO Carsten Spohr praised 'fantastischen Mitarbeitern mit viel Leidenschaft.' The Federal Criminal Police Office secured a wide perimeter.
A cabin crew member lamented: 'Da feiert sich das Management. Wir, die das Unternehmen zu dem gemacht haben, was es heute ist, werden nicht gefeiert.' Disputes with staff at Lufthansa Airlines and Cargo have persisted for years, centered on pensions, pay, and conditions. This follows earlier tensions, including a February pilots' strike ballot at CityLine with 99% approval after failed wage talks, amid restructuring where new subsidiary City Airlines has been absorbing operations.
In a major escalation, Lufthansa Classic ended its contract with feeder subsidiary CityLine. An internal memo, as reported by Handelsblatt, announced the immediate halt of all operations.
