By Karolin Schaps
FRANKFURT: German airline Lufthansa (LHAG.DE) said on Monday it was losing at least 10 million euros ($10.8 million) a day from the longest strike in its 60-year history as cabin crew confirmed a fourth day of industrial action for Tuesday.
More than 110,000 passengers at Lufthansa's Frankfurt hub and the cities of Munich and Duesseldorf were affected by strikes over early retirement benefits and pensions that grounded nearly 1,000 flights on Monday.
"The concrete damage will only be clear in the coming weeks when we know how many passengers claimed refunds, how many were rebooked, and how many passengers we accommodated at hotels," a spokesman told reporters at Frankfurt airport.
However, the losses were "clearly in the double-digit millions of euros," he added.
The UFO union called on cabin crews to stage another day of strikes on Tuesday which are set to affect more lucrative long-haul flights. Stoppages could continue until Friday.
"We are very sorry that talks had to cumulate in strike action but negotiations reached a point where there was no alternative," the union said in a statement.
Lufthansa's management was discussing consequences of the strike at a meeting on Monday and the company said it would make a statement on next steps at 1700 GMT.
"I have no sympathy for the cabin staff," said one thwarted passenger whose flight from Frankfurt to Bangkok was cancelled.
"I work at a large corporate and had to go through the same process. The economy has changed and people need to accept that employment agreements made 20 years ago are no longer feasible."
The walkouts began after Lufthansa and the cabin crew union failed to reach an agreement in a long-running dispute.
Lufthansa is trying to negotiate with staff groups to bring down pension costs as part of a savings drive to allow it to compete better with low-cost rivals and wealthy Gulf carriers.
Strikes by pilots have already cost Lufthansa 130 million euros so far this year.
Lufthansa shares were down 1.25 percent at 13.77 euros by 1420 GMT in a flat German blue-chip index (.GDAXI).
Carolyn and Finley Watkins, on a European holiday from the U.S., were settling in to spend the day at Frankfurt airport after their flight to Budapest was cancelled.
"Lufthansa have treated us very well. We received drink and food vouchers," Carolyn Watkins said, waiting for a 2200 CET (2100 GMT) departure with a different airline.
Reuters
