A protest by airport staff has disrupted operations at seven major German hubs this Friday, including Frankfurt, which handles the nation’s busiest air traffic. Nationwide, about 300,000 travelers faced delays or cancellations.
Passenger movement at Frankfurt, Munich, Stuttgart in the south, Dortmund in the west, and Hanover, Bremen and Hamburg in the north was largely halted. At other airports like Berlin, the impact was more moderate, with smaller restrictions and warning stops.
The Ver.di union called a strike among a portion of ground personnel, covering municipal and regional services, transport and security workers, as well as firefighters, to push for higher wages and improved working conditions.
One union representative warned that if wage negotiations stalled, the travel season could become chaotic again, stressing the need to settle wages to avoid further disruption.
The protest coincides with Ver.di’s demand for a roughly 10.5 percent salary increase for about 2.5 million central government employees and with ongoing renegotiations of regional and federal deals affecting municipalities, transport, and airport security sectors.
The airport employers’ association described the strike as a significant escalation, noting that it prompted the cancellation of thousands of flights and left a substantial number of passengers stranded.
Humanitarian aid flights destined for earthquake relief in Turkey were not affected by the walkout, ensuring continued support to relief efforts.
Although regular passenger traffic at Munich airport was suspended, official aircraft related to a major international security conference scheduled to begin there were still able to land. The event lineup included high-level representatives from multiple countries, along with the Vice President of the United States.
The airline and aviation community reported that the disruption extended beyond government attendees, affecting numerous international participants who were not government officials. Many travelers had to alter their travel plans at short notice.
Conference organizers advised attendees to consider alternative routes, with train travel or travel via alternative airports in the region, such as Nuremberg, as viable options for arrival. The strike’s reach prompted discussions on contingency plans for large-scale international events in the country.