ALMOST 200,000 people have been affected by Lufthansa flight cancellations across Europe this week.
The airline has been forced to scrap as many as 90 per cent of its flights due to a 35-hour strike that started at 8pm last night and will continue until 7am on Wednesday morning.
AFPFlights all over Europe have been grounded because of the strikes[/caption]
APAs many as 90 per cent of Lufthansa’s flights have been grounded today[/caption]
AFPAirport counters are closed because of the striking staff members[/caption]
Among them are a number of flights in the UK that have been grounded, with the German carrier serving several airports throughout the country.
Flights from two London airports have been affected, as well as others originally scheduled to take off from Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow and Newcastle.
Meanwhile, other flights from Dublin have been grounded too.
Here are all the Lufthansa flights from the UK that have been cancelled by the strikes.
Lufthansa flights from London Heathrow have been cancelled, including:
9:30am London Heathrow to Frankfurt
10:30am London Heathrow to Frankfurt
11:30am London Heathrow to Frankfurt
1:30pm London Heathrow to Frankfurt
1:50pm London Heathrow to Munich
3:30pm London Heathrow to Frankfurt
4:30pm London Heathrow to Frankfurt
5:30pm London Heathrow to Frankfurt
5:50pm London Heathrow to Munich
6:30pm London Heathrow to Frankfurt
7:15pm London Heathrow to Munich
7:30pm London Heathrow to Frankfurt
Some flights from Birmingham Airport have also been scrapped for both today and tomorrow, including the following:
Tuesday, Feb 20 1:35pm Birmingham to Frankfurt
Tuesday, Feb 20 6.05pm Birmginham to Frankfurt
Wednesday, Feb 21 6.05am Birmingham to Frankfurt
Manchester Airport has also been affected by the cancellations, with the following flights grounded:
6:20am Manchester to Frankfurt
6:25am Manchester to Munich
9.30am Manchester to Frankfurt
12.45pm Manchester to Frankfurt
6.00pm Manchester to Frankfurt
Glasgow has also seen two flights scrapped. They are as follows:
6:10am Glasgow to Frankfurt
12:40pm Glasgow to Frankfurt
Elsewhere, the 6:15pm flight from London City to Frankfurt has also been cancelled, as has the 10:35am flight from Newcastle to Frankfurt.
Meanwhile, flights from Ireland were also affected, with the 11:45am and 5.45pm flights from Dublin to Frankfurt cancelled along with the 6pm flight from Dublin to Munich.
It’s the second time this month Lufthansa has had to cancel almost all of its flights, with strike action two weeks ago causing huge problems.
Airports including Frankfurt and Munich will be affected in Germany, as well as Hamburg, Berlin, Cologne, Dusseldorf and Stuttgart.
The airline has warned passengers to not go to the airport if their flight has been cancelled.
This is because rebooking counters are unmanned due to the strikes.
It said in a statement: “Due to the strike, we currently assume that only around 10 per cent to 20 per cent of the Lufthansa Airline flight programme can be operated, particularly on February 20.
“Passengers who are affected by flight cancellations because of the Verdi strike will be informed by email or via the Lufthansa app.
“We regret the inconvenience for our guests.
“Only go to the airport if your flight has not been cancelled”.
Flight compensation rules
What are my rights if my flight is cancelled or delayed?
Under UK law, airlines have to provide compensation if your flight arrives at its destination more than three hours late.
If you’re flying to or from the UK, your airline must let you choose a refund or an alternative flight.
You will be able to get your money back for the part of your ticket that you haven’t used yet.
So if you booked a return flight and the outbound leg is cancelled, you can get the full cost of the return ticket refunded.
But if travelling is essential, then your airline has to find you an alternative flight. This could even be with another airline.
When am I not entitled to compensation?
The airline doesn’t have to give you a refund if the flight was cancelled due to reasons beyond their control, such as extreme weather.
Disruptions caused by things like extreme weather, airport or air traffic control employee strikes or other ‘extraordinary circumstances’ are not eligible for compensation.
Some airlines may stretch the definition of the “extraordinary circumstances” but you can challenge them through the aviation regulator the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
Will my insurance cover me if my flight is cancelled?
If you can’t claim compensation directly through the airline, your travel insurance may refund you.
Policies vary so you should check the small print, but a delay of eight to 12 hours will normally mean you qualify for some money from your insurer.
Remember to get written confirmation of your delay from the airport as your insurer will need proof.
If your flight is cancelled entirely, you’re unlikely to be covered by your insurance.
The strikes follow a dispute over pay, with union Verdi demanding a wage increase of 12.5 per cent after rejecting Lufthansa’s offer of 10 per cent.
Lead union negotiator Marvin Reschinsky said: “We don’t want this escalation.
“We want a speedy result for employees and passengers.”
Meanwhile, this is how you can claim compensation if your flight has been cancelled.
And these are two sneaky ways to avoid airline cancellation chaos.
AlamyLufthansa has told passengers not to come to the airport if their flight is cancelled[/caption]