Frankfurt Airport security staff, represented by the Verdi union, are planning a Jan. 15 strike, which is expected to cause major disruptions and flight cancellations.
According to airport operator Fraport, the security checkpoints outside the transit area will remain closed during the strike, from 2 a.m. through 8 p.m. (local time).
Frankfurt Airport is Lufthansa’s main hub and Germany’s biggest airport.
During the strike, originating passengers departing from Frankfurt will not be able to pass through the legally required security checks and get to their flights, Fraport said.
“We expect that transfer processes for connecting passengers in the transit area will still largely be possible. Nevertheless, transfer passengers should also expect disruptions and delays due to the strike,” the company said.
The strike action comes only five days after security employees at German airports Cologne-Bonn, Dusseldorf and Stuttgart went on a Jan. 10 full-day strike, which resulted in more than 600 flight cancellations and affected travel plans for 130,000 passengers.
The union is demanding an hourly wage of €20 ($23) for security workers.
On Jan. 7, a 4-hour strike by security personnel at Berlin’s Tegel and Schoenfeld airports, resulted in delayed flights and cancellations.
In 2017, Frankfurt handled more than 64 million passengers. The airport is served by 89 airlines, connecting to 266 destinations.
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