Lufthansa CityLine pilots have authorized potential strike action following stalled wage negotiations with management. The Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) union reported that 99% of participants in a ballot concluded on February 26, 2026, voted yes, with 95% turnout among the roughly 500 cockpit crew members.
This overwhelming mandate empowers VC’s bargaining committee to pursue all further steps, including industrial action, though no strike date has been set. The vote came after VC rejected Lufthansa’s latest offer, which the union deemed insufficient against its demand for a 9.9% pay increase in three annual steps of 3.3% each, retroactive from 2024. The proposal also included a “peace obligation” clause extending through 2027, restricting future negotiations on open issues.
Lufthansa CityLine operates about 30 aircraft on short-haul feeder routes to Frankfurt and Munich hubs. The carrier faces phase-out by 2027, with operations shifting to the lower-cost Lufthansa City Airlines subsidiary as part of group-wide cost-cutting efforts.
The authorization follows a February 12, 2026, one-day strike across Lufthansa entities that canceled nearly 800 flights and affected 100,000 passengers. That action involved VC pilots at the core airline and Cargo over pensions, plus CityLine issues tied to restructuring. Lufthansa navigates parallel disputes with VC, cabin crew union UFO, and ground staff union Verdi. UFO resumes talks on March 6 regarding its 19,000 members, but VC has not detailed next steps or coordination possibilities. Under German labor law, strikes require 24 hours’ notice.