Amid a wave of strikes: Lufthansa shuts down its subsidiary CityLine
17 April 11:16
In the midst of a large-scale protest campaign by pilots and flight attendants, the German airline group Lufthansa announced the suspension of operations at its regional subsidiary CityLine. The closure of CityLine had been planned for some time, but the airline was forced to implement this decision earlier due to the “current crisis,” said Lufthansa Group CFO Till Streichert, according to "Komersant Ukrainian", citing DW.
According to him, the decision takes effect immediately and is part of the corporate strategy. The first step will be the final decommissioning of 27 active Lufthansa CityLine aircraft on April 18, which will help reduce further costs for the loss-making airline, Streichert said.
Among the reasons for closing CityLine, the top manager cited a significant increase in fuel costs and labor disputes with unions. Such measures were inevitable due to sharp increases in jet fuel prices and geopolitical instability, he noted.
Minister: There Is No Jet Fuel Shortage in Germany
Meanwhile, German Economy Minister Katerina Reiche, commenting on Lufthansa’s decision, stated that there is no aviation kerosene shortage in Germany. She emphasized that this type of fuel is also produced at German oil refineries, so the German economy does not depend solely on imports. The minister also pointed to the release of state oil reserves following the outbreak of war in Iran.
In turn, the German flight attendants’ union UFO sharply criticized the decision to shut down CityLine, calling it “open warfare against its own people.” “We are stunned and shocked by such ruthlessness,” UFO wage negotiation expert Harry Jäger told Reuters.
Lufthansa pilots and flight attendants have been on strike for a second week
The Lufthansa crew strike lasted four days. On April 16, pilots and flight attendants from Lufthansa, Lufthansa Cargo, and the subsidiary CityLine went on strike, and overall, the current wave of strikes at Lufthansa has been ongoing for two weeks.
Pilots and flight attendants are taking turns protesting. The strike was called by unions that were unable to reach an agreement on a wage deal for pilots and a social plan for flight attendants. Pilots are demanding better pension benefits, while flight attendants are demanding improved working conditions and the creation of a social plan for CityLine staff in light of plans to shut down the airline.
The protest has once again led to the cancellation of hundreds of flights at several German airports, primarily in Munich and Frankfurt am Main.
