After cabin crews, Lufthansa pilots go on strike again on April 13 and 14

Fresh strike action is set to disrupt again Lufthansa operations, with pilots now taking over the protest movement from cabin crew in escalating labour tensions across the group.

The pilots union Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) has called a two-day strike for Monday April 13, and Tuesday April 14, 2026. It will impact not only Lufthansa but also affiliates Eurowings and Lufthansa CityLine. The walkout is scheduled to run from 00:01 Monday through 23:59 Tuesday.

The union says it was forced into action after what it describes as a lack of meaningful engagement from management across several ongoing labour disputes. VC President Andreas Pinheiro said the union had deliberately avoided strike action over the Easter holiday period, but no serious proposals were put forward during that time.

According to the union, there have been no acceptable offers on company pension schemes at Lufthansa Cargo or the main Lufthansa airline. Meanwhile, proposals for a new pay agreement at Lufthansa CityLine are described as inadequate. At Eurowings, the pension offer on the table is labelled “unacceptable” and far below expectations. However, Eurowings flights are expected to be affected on Monday only.

More strikes to come soon?

Despite the strike call, VC says it remains open to negotiations and insists the airline group can still avert disruption by presenting viable offers. “Strike action is always a last resort,” Pinheiro said, noting the impact on passengers and ground staff, but placing responsibility squarely on the employer side.

Lufthansa, however, has strongly criticized the move, calling it “an entirely new level of escalation.” The airline group rejected the union’s core demand—reportedly a doubling of what it says is already an above-average pension scheme—as unrealistic and unfeasible.

Amid the disruption, Lufthansa confirmed that certain flights to destinations in the Middle East, including Egypt, Israel, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, will be exempt from the strike action, due to the current geopolitical situation.

The pilot strike follows closely on the heels of a separate walkout by cabin crew organized by the UFO union, which led to the cancellation of hundreds of flights on April 10. Pilots have also been encouraged to join a planned demonstration by cabin crew at Frankfurt Airport on Wednesday, signalling growing coordination between labour groups. More strikes are now likely.

Passengers are advised to check flight status regularly as further disruption is expected.