New strikes hit flights at Lufthansa

German flag-carrier has been hit by new strike action from pilots, with more than 1,350 flights cancelled today as a result.

Talks between the pilots’ unions and the airline collapsed earlier, unable to reach an agreement in a row over retirement benefits.

The cancellations will affect more than 150,000 passengers, Lufthansa said in a statement.

The pilots’ strike is the ninth since April.

Flights affected include both short- and medium-haul flights from 11:00 GMT until 22:00.

The airline wants to phase out its early retirement scheme in order to reduce costs, something the pilots are strongly opposed to.

They are currently able to retire at the age of 55 and receive up to 60 per cent of their pay until the standard retirement age of 65.

The union said “despite all efforts for compromise proposals” by Lufthansa pilots during several rounds of negotiations since October, it had been unable to come to a satisfactory agreement with the management.

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