Massive warning strikes at German airports: 510,000 passengers affected!

Massive warning strikes at German airports: 510,000 passengers affected!

On March 9, 2025, the Ver.di union called for comprehensive warning strikes at several German airports. This measure affects not only the public service airport employees, but also service providers in ground handling as well as the security personnel at the checkpoints for passengers as well as personnel and goods controls. The strikes already have a massive impact on flight operations at Cologne/Bonn Airport, where a total of 98 passenger flights were canceled by 3:45 p.m. This corresponds to 49 starts and 49 landings, while 172 flights were originally planned in the strike period, of which 91 starts and 81 landings were affected. Additional cancellations, diversions or delays are still expected.

The warning strikes throughout Germany begin on Monday, March 10th, at 00:00 a.m. and end at 11:59 p.m. A total of more than 3,400 flights have been canceled, which affects around 510,000 passengers. In addition to Cologne/Bonn, other major airports are also affected. In Hamburg, for example, all flights are canceled on Sunday, while in Frankfurt/Main the entire flight operations are discontinued in terms of 1,170 flight movements. The passengers are urgently asked to find out about their flight status before arriving to the airport, as the situation can change continuously.

causes of the strikes

The background of the warning strikes lies in the currently ongoing collective bargaining in the public service, to which the Ver.di union calls for a salary increase of 8 percent, but at least 350 euros more per month. In addition, higher surcharges for stressful activities and three additional free days per year are required. These demands are part of the ongoing collective bargaining, which are of enormous importance for the approximately 2.3 million employees in the federal government and in municipalities, since the existing collective agreement expires on December 31, 2024

The employers express their concerns and argue that the demands are unrealistic and that they would cause high costs that could have a negative impact on municipal services. The next round of negotiations is already scheduled for March 14th in Potsdam.

rights of travelers

For those affected, there is important information about their rights: In the case of flight cancellations or delays of more than three hours, the airlines are obliged to offer alternative promotions. In accordance with the EU Airkastrechte regulation, there is also entitlement to compensation, which, however, depend on the circumstances of the strike. The situation is still closely observed and the affected airports recommend passengers to consult the websites of the respective airlines and airports.

The warning strikes reflect on the persistent challenges in the public service, especially with regard to lack of personnel and overload, which are complained about by numerous employees. With this action, ver.di underlines the urgency not only to increase salaries, but also to improve working conditions in order to make the sector more attractive.