Lufthansa pilot strike

In their latest battle to keep early retirement benefits, Lufthansa pilots have announced a 35-hour strike beginning early Monday afternoon, the eighth such work stoppage to hit Europe's largest airline in less than half a year.

The walkout, called by the pilots' union Vereinigung Cockpit, is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. local time on Monday and last until 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday. Lufthansa has cancelled 1,450 short and medium-haul flights, grounding more than 130,000 passengers.

Although 2,150 flights were originally impacted by the strike, volunteer pilots and assistance from other airlines managed to save 700 connections from cancellation. The strike does not affect long-haul Lufthansa flights or passengers flying with Germanwings, Austrian Airlines and Swiss.

Travelers should visit Lufthansa's website to check whether their flight has been cancelled. Passengers facing a flight cancellation can book an alternative connection free of charge or exchange their ticket to travel by train. Lufthansa has asked all travelers to check their flight status prior to departure.

Battle over retirement

Lufthansa and the pilots' union Cockpit are engaged in a recurring battle over early retirement benefits. Currently, pilots flying for Lufthansa can retire at 55, with most choosing to receive their pension beginning at 59.

But Lufthansa says that it can no longer finance the early retirement scheme due to increased competition. The airline wants to increase the retirement age to 61, but has offered to allow pilots who began flying in January this year to still qualify for early retirement.

Monday's Lufthansa strike brings further travel disruption to Germany after train drivers staged a 50-hour walkout over the weekend, leading to the cancellation of 70 percent of long-haul train connections. The train drivers' union GDL has agreed to a seven-day strike pause, beginning on Monday.

slk/lw (dpa, Reuters)