Lufthansa flights are expected to face significant disruption from March 12 – 13, 2026, after the pilots’ union Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) announced a short-notice strike linked to an ongoing dispute over pension arrangements.
The airline said it is working intensively to minimise the impact on passengers and has published a special flight schedule for the two strike days. More than 50 per cent of the originally planned flight programme will operate on both days, while around 60 per cent of long-haul flights are expected to run as scheduled.
The airline said that the passengers affected by cancellations or rebookings have already been proactively informed by the airline. Travellers who have not received any notification can currently assume that their flights are operating as planned. Lufthansa has advised passengers to check the status of their flight on its official website before travelling to the airport and ensure their contact details in the booking are up to date.
Customers holding tickets issued on or before March 10, 2026, for Lufthansa-operated flights scheduled on March 12 or 13 may rebook free of charge on another Lufthansa Group flight between March 10 – 23, 2026, or request a full refund.
Substitute transport with Deutsche Bahn
As part of its contingency arrangements, Lufthansa is also offering substitute rail transport in partnership with Deutsche Bahn. Passengers whose flights are cancelled on certain short-haul routes can convert their flight tickets into Deutsche Bahn train tickets free of charge, including a complimentary seat reservation subject to availability.
The service applies to domestic German flights as well as routes between Germany and several nearby European destinations, including Amsterdam, Brussels, Luxembourg, Paris, Basel, Geneva, Zurich, Salzburg, Vienna, Innsbruck, Linz, Graz, Budapest, Prague and Warsaw. Eligible passengers are automatically identified and notified by email up to five days before departure, though vouchers for train travel can also be requested manually after a cancellation.
The converted rail ticket is valid on Deutsche Bahn trains on the day of issue and the following day.
Lufthansa said it expects operations to largely return to normal from Saturday, March 14, 2026.
