Lufthansa is facing a two-day pilot strike after union Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) called on its pilot members to walk out after a series of negotiations failed to achieve contractual changes.
On March 10, 2026, Vereinigung Cockpit confirmed Lufthansa and Lufthansa Cargo pilots flying from German airports would take industrial action on March 12 and 13, 2026, over issues related to the company’s pension scheme.
VC President Andreas Pinheiro said he would have “preferred to avoid further escalation” but there remains “no offer on the table”.
“It doesn’t help if the other side only signals a willingness to talk but doesn’t want to discuss substantial improvements to the company pension scheme,” he added.
According to VC, since the union’s last strike on February 12, 2026, Lufthansa has not submitted an offer.
“We have negotiated long enough without an offer,” said Arne Karstens, spokesperson for the Group Collective Bargaining Commission (GTK). “Seven rounds of negotiations, lengthy periods of consideration, and even a mediated offer – the employer let all that pass by. We will only continue talks when a negotiable offer is on the table.”
In its statement the union said: “Until 2017, pilots received a traditional company pension with guaranteed payouts. At the employer’s insistence, this was replaced by a capital market-financed model that falls significantly short of the previous pension level.”
The head of HR at Lufthansa Michael Niggemann described the planned strikes as “completely incomprehensible”, particularly when the carrier is “experiencing a new level of geopolitical uncertainty with the war in Iran and passengers worldwide are affected”.
He explained: “We already offer a high level of company pension provision at Lufthansa Classic, which guarantees very good retirement security both in an internal comparison within the Lufthansa Group and with other airlines, industries, and companies. This company pension scheme has even been further improved over the past two years with a significant increase in pensionable remuneration for our pilots. Given the low margin at Lufthansa Classic, which in itself would not allow for investment in new aircraft, there is no scope for further increases. Strikes will not change this.”
Lufthansa CityLine also strike
Vereinigung Cockpit is also calling on Lufthansa CityLine pilots to strike after negotiations failed over a new collective bargaining agreement on pay.
According to VC, Lufthansa CityLine did submit a first time offer to the union at a meeting on February 25, 2026, but it was rejected.
“This offer was unacceptable to us. It falls far short of our demands and includes a comprehensive peace obligation for all issues that can be regulated by collective bargaining. This would effectively render VC powerless at CityLine,” explained Karstens.
The strike will affect Lufthansa CityLine flights departing from German airports on March 12, 2026.
In a statement, Lufthansa said: “Lufthansa is working intensively to keep the impact on our passengers as low as possible. We are trying to have as many flights as possible operated by other airlines within the Lufthansa Group and by partner airlines.”
VC emphasized that no Lufthansa flights from current crisis areas in the Middle East are affected by the strike action.
Niggemann later added: “We have offered pay increases to the pilots of our subsidiary Lufthansa Cityline. Here, too, escalation is unnecessary because we have shown a clear willingness to find a solution.”