Picture credits: X (@ittn_ie)
Germany: A 24-hour strike on March 10, 2025, organized by the Verdi trade union led to the cancellation of approximately 3,500 flights across 13 major German airports, affecting around 560,000 passengers.
The strike involved public-sector workers, including airport ground staff and security personnel, demanding an 8% pay increase, improved bonuses for shift work, better occupational health and safety measures, and limits on fixed-term contracts.
Major airports such as Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin, and Hamburg experienced significant disruptions. Frankfurt Airport, the busiest in Germany, canceled 94% of its scheduled takeoffs and landings on that day.
The strike also impacted airports such as Cologne/Bonn, Bremen, Hannover, Dortmund, Leipzig/Halle, and Stuttgart, while at smaller airports like Weeze and Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden, only security staff took part in the protest.
Picture credits: (@ActualAlemania)
The strike also impacted international travelers, with over 20 flights between Germany and the United Kingdom canceled at London Heathrow Airport alone.
The Verdi union emphasized its determination to continue negotiations for over 2.5 million federal and local government employees, highlighting the assertiveness of public-sector workers.
Employers, however, have deemed the union’s demands unaffordable, leading to ongoing negotiations scheduled for later this month.
As of March 12, flight operations have largely returned to normal at major German airports.
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