Germany: Nearly 300 flights cancelled at Hamburg Airport as staff commence strike

Nearly 300 flights were cancelled at Hamburg Airport on Sunday after ground handling staff staged a surprise walkout ahead of a planned nationwide strike in Germany.

According to a statement from Hamburg Airport, workers walked off the job after just 10 flights had been processed in the morning, causing the cancellation of 144 arrivals and 139 departures. More than 40,000 passengers were affected by the disruption.

The move came without prior notice from German trade union Verdi, which represents ground handling and public sector workers. 

The union had initially planned to begin strike action on Monday, but the early walkout at Hamburg caught many by surprise.

Verdi said the industrial action would continue into Monday and extend to passenger security checks, likely compounding delays and disruptions. The airport noted that the strike would severely impact families travelling during local spring holidays.

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The union is pushing for an 8% wage increase or a raise of at least 350 euros ($380) per month, alongside higher bonuses and more time off. Employers have dismissed the demands as unaffordable, and Verdi has intensified its campaign following several walkouts last month.

“Two rounds of strikes between talks already. That is clearly excessive and unfair to tens of thousands of travellers who have nothing to do with the disputes,” said a spokesperson for Hamburg airport.”

Responding to criticism of the unexpected action, a Verdi spokesperson in Hamburg explained that the decision to strike early was strategic. 

“We do this to put pressure on the employer so that finally a reasonable offer comes to the table in the negotiations,” the spokesperson said. “We can only make the strikes effective by calling for short-term action at the weekend.”

According to Reuters, wider disruption is expected on Monday, with major airports including Frankfurt, Munich, Stuttgart, Cologne/Bonn, Duesseldorf, Dortmund, Hanover, Bremen, Berlin, and Leipzig-Halle all set to be affected.

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