Airports in Frankfurt, Munich, Stuttgart, Bremen, Hamburg, Hanover, and Dortmund are all grounded.
More than 2,300 flights have been canceled, affecting 300,000 passengers, practically eliminating air travel.
Workers are asking for a 10.5% salary raise from the Ver.di union and the Civil Service Association.
A few international planes took off from Leipzig Airport this morning, but local flights were canceled.
A couple of travelers dragged suitcases through Frankfurt Airport’s normally crowded departures area. According to one local TV reporter, it was nearly as empty as it had been during the Covid pandemic.
The action coincided with the start of the Munich Security Conference, a high-profile meeting of international leaders and defense specialists.
Although the arrival of notable visitors was not expected to be hampered, other participants were urged to go by train.
Airports in Turkey and Syria handling emergency help for earthquake victims have stated that cargo flights will continue as planned.
But, the protest, which comes two days after Frankfurt Airport cancelled 200 flights due to construction work that disrupted Lufthansa’s online check-in and boarding systems, has enraged several German business leaders.
Small and medium-sized company representatives criticized the move as unacceptable and accused the unions of holding the entire country hostage for their personal gain.
And flying travelers in Germany have grown accustomed, if not resigned, to this type of disturbance.
Last summer, staff shortages caused chaos at airports, with flights delayed and cancelled and passengers queuing for hours at check-in and security.
According to a Ver.di spokesman, unless salary and working conditions improve, these difficulties will persist, ensuring another stressful summer at the country’s airports.
Lufthansa has already declared that it will have to alter its summer schedule due to staff shortages.
Germany’s unions are well-organized, and picket lines are uncommon because most employees participate in strikes. Workers are expected to protest at other airports throughout the day.
Their proposals have thus far been rejected by employers, who have yet to submit their own offer, with negotiations set to resume next week. And Ver.di’s leader, Frank Werneke, had earlier used a menacing tone.
“The next strikes will have a different dimension,” he said. “Unless the employers table a good offer next week, this will be just a taste of what’s to come.”
