The German trade union Verdi has called another round of warning strikes among ground and security staff at four airports for Monday (March 13, 2023).
Berlin, Hamburg, and Bremen airports are essentially all closed for departing passenger traffic. There could be some flights that will land on Monday. It is unclear what level of disruptions the Hanover airport will experience tomorrow.
You can access Lufthansa’s page for flight disruptions here.
These strikes will affect all airlines flying to these four airports. Passengers who are scheduled to fly to/from/through Berlin, Hamburg, Bremen, and Hanover on March 13, 2023, should contact airlines to have the flight(s) rebooked or refunded.
There can be spillover effects on March 14, 2023, if planes and crews are out of their planned rotations.
Airlines are legally required to rebook affected passengers to their final destinations at the earliest opportunity, even when this means moving them to competitors. They are also required to provide accommodation and food in case of extended delays.
There is no cash compensation for delays and cancellations due to this strike, as it is out of the airlines’ control.
Lufthansa’s Announcement:
Due to an announced strike by the Ver.di union, there may be cancellations and delays on Lufthansa Group flights to and from Berlin, Hanover, Bremen and Hamburg, probably all day on March 13.
In the event of a cancellation, Lufthansa will rebook you free of charge and usually automatically to another flight and inform you via your mobile phone number. If you do not receive a message from Lufthansa, please check the current status of your booking. Here you can also adjust the rebooking if required. Alternatively, you can also use the Lufthansa Chatbot.
If you have booked through a tour operator or travel agency, you may also contact the tour operator / travel agency where the booking was made.
In the event of a cancellation of a domestic Lufthansa flight (or a Lufthansa flight between Germany and Basel or Salzburg), you can exchange your flight ticket into a ticket with Deutsche Bahn free of charge. We recommend that you make a reservation for this on the Deutsche Bahn website. Please note that the ticket is only valid on Deutsche Bahn trains on the day of issue and the following day (except for “City Night Line trains” of Deutsche Bahn).
If you have a connecting flight from Frankfurt or Munich, we recommend that you allow sufficient time for changing from train to flight when planning your rail journey to the airports.
Important note: Currently, the exchange is only possible via notebooks and desktop computers with the delivery option “Print by e-mail”. Unfortunately, the delivery options “Cell phone ticket” is not possible.
If you are rebooked onto the following day, please check our information about hotel accommodation.
Conclusion
There appears to be a wide gap between what the employees demand and what the airports are willing to pay, and these strikes continue as a result.
Unfortunately, air travelers are affected by this dispute, and we hope that parties can find a solution that is acceptable to all parties involved.
