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Lufthansa strike disrupts Budapest flights: pilots and cabin crew walk out for 24 hours
Passengers travelling between Hungary and Germany are facing major disruption after Lufthansa pilots and cabin crew launched a nationwide 24-hour strike on Thursday, leading to cancellations affecting flights to and from Budapest.
The industrial action, which began at 00:01 and is scheduled to last until midnight, has grounded a significant share of the German airline’s operations, with Frankfurt and Munich routes among the hardest hit.
Budapest connections heavily affected
Lufthansa and Lufthansa CityLine services form the backbone of Budapest’s direct air links to Germany, particularly to Frankfurt and Munich. As a result, most of Thursday’s flights on these routes have been cancelled, Telex reports.
Flights arriving from and departing to Frankfurt are almost entirely affected, while extensive cancellations are also expected on Munich services.
However, routes operated by other airlines within the Lufthansa Group – including Austrian Airlines, SWISS, Brussels Airlines and Eurowings – are expected to operate according to schedule. This means passengers may still be able to travel via transfer hubs such as Vienna or Zurich.
At the time of writing, the Debrecen–Munich service still appears to have a chance of operating. Although CityLine staff are officially part of the strike, Debrecen Airport’s website has not yet listed the evening arrival (18:00) and departure (18:55) as cancelled.
Thousands of staff taking part
Around 4,800 pilots from Lufthansa and Lufthansa Cargo are participating in the strike, demanding higher employer contributions to their pension schemes.
Cabin crew, organised by the UFO union, are also walking out in an effort to force negotiations on several collective agreements. Staff at Lufthansa CityLine – a subsidiary reportedly facing closure – have also been called to join the action.
Airline warns of “extensive cancellations”
The carrier has warned passengers in advance about “extensive flight cancellations”, although it has not provided specific figures. Departure boards at major German airports, including Frankfurt and Berlin, show only scattered Lufthansa flights operating.
The airline has urged travellers to check flight information through digital channels and avoid going to the airport unless their journey is confirmed.
According to Népszava, management has rejected the unions’ demands and described the strike as an “unnecessary escalation”, arguing that there is little room for further cost increases.
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What passengers can do
Affected travellers may need to rebook or seek alternative transport. For domestic German routes, Lufthansa has said tickets may be exchanged for rail travel.
Passengers flying between Hungary and Germany should monitor their booking status closely and consider alternative routes or connecting flights where possible.
