Germany Bracing For Widespread Flight Disruptions Ahead of Nationwide Strike

A labor union strike in Germany set for Monday, March 10 is expected to impact half a million travelers and thousands of flights across the European country.

Berlin has already canceled all Monday flights ahead of the labor protest, which will encompass 11 airports throughout Germany.

The laborers going on strike represent ground staff. They announced the strike on Friday in order to give travelers a handful of days to prepare for the disruption, per Associated Press.

As part of the strike, workers are planning to walk off the job in airports that serve the following locations:

• Munich
• Stuttgart
• Frankfurt/Main
• Cologne/Bonn
• Düsseldorf
• Dortmund
• Hanover
• Bremen
• Hamburg
• Berlin-Brandenburg
• Leipzig-Halle

The labor strike could bring about both delays and flight cancellations, the airport association ADV has said. At least 3,400 Monday flights are likely to be scrapped. 

"Germany's air traffic will be largely shut down on Monday," the ADV said in a statement reported by Reuters, adding that the strike was a "horror scenario for affected passengers.”

Germany's air traffic control operators, DFS, however, have said they don't anticipate being directly affected by the strike.

The protesting workers are seeking higher pay, improved working conditions and more days off, the Associated Press reported.

In addition to bringing air travel to a halt, the labor strike could have significant economic ramifications for hotels, restaurants and more.

The upcoming strike is merely the latest labor action to impact air travel in Germany. In February, a two-day strike at Munich International Airport (MUC) left about 80 percent of its flights canceled, stranding travelers.

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