Lufthansa pilots extend strike as hundreds of flights grounded

Frankfurt: Pilots for German airline Lufthansa announced they would extend until Friday a strike that has already hit tens of thousands of passengers and seen hundreds of flights cancelled in a dispute over a retirement scheme. Just over half of the carrier’s scheduled 1,400 domestic and European flights to and from Frankfurt and Munich were grounded Wednesday, affecting around 80,000 passengers, a Lufthansa spokesman said.

The one-day stoppage initially planned is set to continue throughout Thursday, when it will shift to target long-haul and cargo services. Pilots’ union Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) announced late Wednesday that it would be also extended to Friday for short- and medium-haul flights.