The Verdi union is calling on security staff to strike at eleven German airports on February 1, 2024. Passengers must expect significant restrictions and many flight cancellations, as individual airports have already announced that there will be no departures at all on Thursday.

At the airports Hamburg, Bremen, Hanover, Berlin, Cologne/Bonn, Düsseldorf, Leipzig/Halle, Dresden, Erfurt, Frankfurt and Stuttgart, Verdi members who work in the security area are called on to stop work on February 1, 2024. This means that security checks can only be carried out to a limited extent or, in some places, not at all.

Hamburg Airport announced this as follows: “The Verdi union has called on security control employees at airports nationwide to stop work from Wednesday, January 31, 2024, 22 p.m., to Thursday, February 1, 2024, 22 p.m. - Hamburg Airport is also affected. Due to the ver.di strike, the central security checkpoint must remain closed all day on Thursday. For this reason, all 126 departures on Thursday will be canceled or will take place without passengers.”

There will also be no commercial flights with passengers at BER on the day of the strike. The operating company writes in a statement: “Due to the warning strike announced by the ver.di union for aviation security forces at several airports, no departures are possible at Berlin Brandenburg Airport next Thursday, February 1, 2024. The airport company officially informed its partners such as airlines, ground handling service providers, security companies and local commercial businesses about this in the evening. Affected passengers are asked to contact their airline for information about rebooking and alternative travel options. Arrivals may also be affected. The respective airline decides on this. “Originally, around 170 take-offs and landings with almost 50.000 passengers were planned for the traffic day.”

In Cologne/Bonn, however, it is not assumed that all flights will have to be canceled. However, travelers must be prepared for the fact that there may be longer waiting times and cancellations. The operator said: “Due to the strike announcement, significant disruption to flight operations and flight cancellations are to be expected at Cologne/Bonn Airport. Passengers who have booked a flight to or from Cologne/Bonn for Thursday are asked to check the status of their flight with their airline or tour operator before traveling to the airport. A total of 103 passenger flights (52 take-offs, 51 landings) are regularly planned for Thursday.”

Stuttgart Airport also assumes that there could be waiting times and cancellations: “The ver.di union has called on security staff at airports nationwide to go on an all-day strike on Thursday, February 01, 2024. Passengers at Stuttgart Airport must therefore also expect disruptions in operations and flight cancellations. Passengers who have booked a flight for Thursday are advised to check the status of their flight.”

The BDL industry association criticized the strike call. He doesn't believe that tariff disputes should be settled at the expense of passengers by paralyzing air traffic. Last year Verdi called for similar work stoppages. At least when it comes to security personnel, this is the first strike that the union has called for in 2024.

Passengers are entitled to compensation

“As a result of the warning strike, thousands of passengers are expected not to reach their destination as planned. However, as this is a strike by airport staff, affected passengers are not entitled to compensation under the European Air Passenger Rights Regulation. This means that you are not entitled to compensation of up to 600 euros per person for canceled or severely delayed flights due to the strike. “If there were comparable strike actions by airline staff, whether announced or spontaneous, this would look different,” said . Nina Staub, aviation gas law expert at Airhelp.

“Passengers affected by flight cancellations are entitled to alternative transportation or a full refund of the flight price. As a rule, airlines offer rebooking to an alternative flight. Domestic flights can optionally be rebooked for a train ticket. If the airline does not act on its own initiative or is unable to offer suitable alternative transport, the affected passengers can find an alternative themselves and charge the airline the costs. In order to ensure reimbursement of their costs, affected passengers should under no circumstances change their bookings to buses, trains or other flights without consulting the airline.

If there is a delay of more than five hours or if the flight is transported at a later date, the airline is also obliged to refund the full ticket price. In the event of delays of more than two hours, the operating airline must provide meals and drinks to passengers at the airport. In addition, it must be possible to make two telephone calls or send two emails. If necessary, the airlines must also provide accommodation and enable transport there. In any case, it is advisable to request this benefit from the airline. We advise all passengers to retain each receipt in order to obtain reimbursement from airlines for the cost of food, refreshments, substitute travel and accommodation.”