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STRIKES BY GERMAN airport workers are set to cause flights to be delayed and cancelled across Europe.
The action is being taken by public sector airport workers in Frankfurt, Munich, Duesseldorf, Cologne/Bonn, Dortmund and Hanover.
While this will not result in a complete shut down, the airports will be operating at a greatly reduced capacity.
In total around 87,000 passengers will be affected, and German operator Lufthansa has cancelled 895 flights.
While the Germans will be the worst hit, the knock-on effect will be felt by passengers travelling on flights either into or through the country.
How does this hit Irish passengers?
As it stands only flights out of Dublin have been cancelled.
Aer Lingus flights to Munich and Berlin due to depart earlier this morning were called off, and a Lufthansa flight due to depart shortly after 11am has also been cancelled.
Cork Airport, which operates a service to Frankfurt in Germany, has said that its flight is scheduled to run as usual later today.
Kerry Airport has said that its 2.35pm service to Frankfurt is also expected to operate as normal.
Why are they doing this?
The action today is being taken by air safety control workers, ground services workers, check-in counter operators and staff in engineering workshops – all of which are part of the country’s biggest services union Verdi.
The strikes aim to put pressure on the government over public sector wages.
The move has been slammed by airline operator Lufthansa.
It is unacceptable that our passengers are the ones feeling the effects of the strike,” said Lufthansa’s personnel chief Bettina Volkens.
“Verdi is hurting an airline that offers its workforce the highest welfare standards,” she added.
- Contains reporting from AFP.
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My brother has had 2 kidney transplants first one from our dad and second time from a donor as a family we cannot thank them for being willing to donate organs and their loved ones enough for carrying out their wishes despite their heartbreak and grief. Please let your loved ones know if you want to donate your organs
I will be eternally grateful to my donors family. It is a difficult decision for families at a very difficult time. My donor saved four lives and impacted many many more lives. I know my donors family were happy to see something incredible happen for others out of a very tragic accident. Make your own views known to your nearest and dearest, it makes the decision easier and it makes a huge difference. The gift of life.
It should be an automatic enrolment on the donor list, opt out if you have strong preferences against it
Not hard to implement, and could do away with situations where next of kin aren’t sure of loved one’s wishes, and don’t donate their loved ones organs – “Just in case they wouldn’t have wanted it”.
With an opt-out system we gain hugely I think
And if you’re a transplant recipient – always – send a letter of thanks. It’s anonymous but the comfort it brings to donor families is enormous.
@Niall Sheridan: some can’t believe it or not its a really hard letter to write, the enormity of which shouldn’t be under estimated.
Ireland should operate an automatic opt in system for ORG donations.
Be a hero be a donor
Agreed, why not implement a opt out system in line with the UK system Max and Keira’s Law’. Doubtless the government will engage some external consultants, a couple of years and several millions later, they will reach this conclusion.
My daughter was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 7. We always knew there was an increased risk of kidney disease that would ultimately end In a transplant. What we didn’t expect was when she was 19 to be told she would at some point need at least one liver transplant due to a rare autoimmune liver condition.
(The condition eventually comes back after transplant but can be slowed down) some at the same point she is, by the age of 40 have had 5 transplants, others have had none. Ireland don’t do live liver transplants either as I wanted to be a donor.
Her condition further deteriorated after 18 months due to another chronic severe autoimmune disease. It’s an extremely rare combinations of autoimmune conditions.
I’m not sure how viable my organs will be when I die but whatever they can use they can have. When we die our bodies will be cremated or they will rot where they could be used to actually save lives and give people a chance to live those lives to the full.
have your say