Germany’s major airports came to a near standstill on Monday, March 10, as a 24-hour nationwide strike by airport staff and public sector workers led to the cancellation of most scheduled flights.
The walkout is affecting 13 airports, including major international hubs like Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin, and Dusseldorf, and is impacting more than 500,000 travelers.
According to Euronews, the strike began at midnight and involves a wide range of airport staff, including ground handling, security personnel, and other public-sector employees.
It is the latest in a series of “warning strikes,” a common pressure tactic used in German wage negotiations.
Major Hubs Shut Down
At Frankfurt Airport, Germany’s busiest, operators confirmed that no passenger flights would depart on Monday.
Out of 1,116 scheduled flights, 1,050 have already been cancelled, with more likely to be added throughout the day. Passengers were also warned of possible delays and cancellations on Tuesday, as the effects of the strike ripple into the following day.
In Berlin, all regular arrivals and departures were cancelled, while Hamburg Airport announced no departures would be possible. Cologne/Bonn Airport shut down regular passenger operations, and Munich Airport advised travelers to prepare for a "greatly reduced flight schedule."
The strike involves full or partial walkouts at the following airports:
Hamburg
Bremen
Hannover
Berlin
Dusseldorf
Dortmund
Cologne/Bonn
Leipzig/Halle
Stuttgart
Munich
Weeze (security staff only)
Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden (security staff only)
In Hamburg, the ver.di service workers union expanded the strike by launching a short-notice walkout on Sunday, March 9, causing nearly 300 flights to be cancelled ahead of Monday's full shutdown.
What's Behind the Strike?
The action stems from two ongoing pay disputes. One involves demands for better wages and working conditions for airport security staff, while the other relates to public sector wage negotiations involving employees of federal and municipal governments.
The latter dispute has already resulted in recent strikes at airports in Cologne/Bonn, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, and Munich.
Negotiations for the broader public sector dispute are set to resume on Friday, while talks for the airport security worker contracts are scheduled to begin again on March 26.
With most commercial flights grounded, thousands of passengers have been left scrambling for alternatives, with rail and road transport expected to be heavily burdened as well. Airlines and airports have advised travelers to check flight status before heading to the airport, and where possible, to postpone non-essential travel.
