Lufthansa pilots to strike work again tomorrow

Lufthansa pilots have warned they would strike again tomorrow and Wednesday after weekend talks proved infructuous in resolving the long-running row over pay.

According to the pilots' union, Vereinigung Cockpit, the walkout would affect short-haul flights on Tuesday, as also short and long-haul flights on Wednesday.

It comes as the 15th strike since April with 2,800 flights cancelled last week following a four-day walkout by pilots. (See: Lufthansa to cancel 876 of 3,000 scheduled flights due to pilots' strike)

BBC quoted Lufthansa spokeswoman Bettina Volkens, "We have to talk." 

She added "I hope very much that [Vereinigung Cockpit] finally changes its uncompromising stance. This cannot be forced via strikes."

Joerg Handwerg, board member at Vereinigung Cockpit, said, "Unfortunately, high-level talks held today at short notice failed to lead to an agreement on the wage contract.

"It is completely incomprehensible that (Lufthansa) has refused to put forward an offer that can at least form the basis of a negotiation."

Vereinigung Cockpit is demanding an average annual pay rise of 3.7 per cent for its 5,400 members in Germany, backdated to 2012.

On Friday, Lufthansa offered to hike wages by 2.4 per cent in 2016, with an additional 2 per cent increase in 2017. It added, it would also provide a one-off payment of 1.8 months' pay. The airline had earlier offered a 2.5 rise in pay, which was rejected by the union.

"There is still no negotiable offer from Lufthansa regarding the compensation of pilots, which means industrial action needs to continue," Handwerg said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Lufthansa said it would have a special flight schedule by Monday, 1400 CET (8.00 am ET/1300 GMT), adding, it was disappointed by VC's move.

Last week Lufthansa had to cancel nearly 2,800 flights during a four-day strike from Wednesday that affected more than 350,000 passengers, the 14th walkout in a dispute that since early 2014 had cost the carrier hundreds of millions of euros.