50 flights canceled due to Frankfurt airport strike
Print Edition
A STRIKE yesterday by security staff at Frankfurt airport caused nearly 50 flight cancellations and delayed thousands of passengers, bringing chaos to Europe’s third-largest hub on its busiest day of the week.
Trade union Verdi had called on about 5,000 staff who carry out security checks on passengers, baggage and freight to strike for the entire day to push for their pay to be brought into line with counterparts at other German airports.
Hoards of people jostled to get to the front of lines at check-in and service desks at the airport, which usually handles 150,000 passengers on a typical Friday.
Almost 50 flights were canceled, with Lufthansa scrapping nearly 40 but the main problem was getting people through check-in and security, airport operator Fraport said.
Security checks were halted about 1:30pm and Fraport advised people not to travel to the airport. It said those already there should ask airlines about train tickets or hotel rooms.
“We’re trying our best,” a spokesman said. “We tried to tell people but the strike was called at such short notice.”
Passengers booed the strikers who waved placards saying: “We’re worth it.”
“We get 11.70 euros (US$16) an hour once our trial period is over. People in Stuttgart get 14 euros an hour but we’re the ones working at Germany’s largest airport and the work is getting more stressful,” said Nsimba Gore, a 32-year old security assistant.
Verdi said more than 90 percent of security staff due to work yesterday were joining the strike. Its offer to let 110 people stand down for a short time to staff the security checks did not appear to ease the congestion.
The strike was called after four rounds of pay talks between Verdi and employers’ association BDSW, which represents about 185,000 security staff who work for private companies, ended without agreement.
The next round of talks is due on March 5.
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