At Discover Airlines, a Lufthansa underdog, initial flights took a hit following the commencement of a pilot and cabin crew strike. This affected several long-haul departures and round trips on the short-haul route, with some short-haul trips being delegated to partner airlines to keep itineraries unchanged, reports suggested.
The PR rep declared, "Our top priority is to fly as many flights as we can for our passengers."
Displaying resilience, Discover Airlines aimed to keep this operational pace for the upcoming days, affirming, "It's our lasting priority to fly as many flights as we can for our passengers."
Influencing all departures from Germany, the unions Cockpit (VC) and UFO orchestrated a four-day strike stretch, lasting until August 30th. Established in 2021, Discover Airlines manages a fleet of 27 aircraft, catering to leisure destinations in Europe and beyond from Frankfurt and Munich. Around 1,900 employees contribute to the airline's operation.
Presenting around 270 flights from Frankfurt and Munich, Discover Airlines planned their schedule during the strike period. To mitigate its effects, the carrier sought to transfer some flights to other Lufthansa affiliates, like Discover Airline's operations. In response, UFO expects Lufthansa to employ similar strategies, predicting around 270 flights from Discover Airlines during the strike's duration.
The labor dispute arose from a clash with Verdi union, which had already sealed initial collective bargaining agreements for Discover Airlines' pilots and cabin crew. While UFO and Cockpit(VC) share similar demands, each strives to establish unique collective agreements.
Discover Airlines remained determined to fly as many flights as feasible throughout the strike, scheduling 55 flights for Tuesday and maintaining that level for subsequent days. Though the strike impacted all departures from Germany, Discover Airlines, as a Lufthansa offspring, worked on shifting some flights to other Lufthansa subsidiaries, including Discover Airlines' operations.
Bonus Info:
Labor challenges in Germany's aviation sector have escalated lately, triggered by strikes at DHL and previous pilot strike at Lufthansa and Discover Airlines in 2024. Workers demanded better wages and pay arrangements, attributed to rising living costs and inflation. As this scenario unfolds, it's essential to monitor updates from news sources or official statements from the airlines and labor unions for a more complete picture.
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