Germany: Flights cancelled as workers strike at 13 airports

Frankfurt: Strikes have brought operations to a near halt in airports across Germany, as service workers, ground staff, and aviation security staged a 24-hour walkout.

The trade union Verdi is demanding a collective wage deal for nearly 2.5 million public sector workers. Monday's strikes come after a second round of pay talks failed.

The federal government and local municipalities have said that Verdi's proposals, including an 8% pay hike, higher bonuses, and three additional days off, are not financially viable.

Operations at Germany's busiest airport, Frankfurt, were disrupted, along with those at Munich, Stuttgart, Cologne/Bonn, Düsseldorf, Dortmund, Hanover, Bremen, Hamburg, Berlin-Brandenburg, and Leipzig-Halle.

At Frankfurt Airport, 1,054 of the day's 1,116 scheduled takeoffs and landings had been canceled, German news agency dpa reported, citing airport traffic management.

All of Berlin Airport's regular departures and arrivals were canceled, while Hamburg Airport said no departures would be possible.

Cologne/Bonn Airport said there was no regular passenger service and Munich Airport advised travelers to expect a "greatly reduced flight schedule."

The strikes were set to affect some 510,000 travellers, according to the ADV airport association.

German aviation group Lufthansa said there would be "delays and extensive cancellations" on all the airliner's flights to and from the affected airports.

Surprise early shutdown in Hamburg
Hamburg was the first to be affected by the strikes as workers walked out early, and almost all flights to and from the airport were cancelled on Sunday.

The airport operator said that workers went on strike "without prior notice."

A Verdi spokesman told DW: "The walkout was necessary so that the impact of the strike could really be felt."

Several passengers were reported to be left stranded by the sudden walkout.

According to public broadcaster NDR, many had already checked in their luggage and were having problems getting it returned.

Further strikes were expected to go ahead this week in facilities operated by the federal government and local authorities, news agency DPA cited a Verdi spokesperson as saying.

The next round of wage negotiations was slated for Friday at Potsdam near the capital Berlin.