Flight disruptions at Hamburg and Munich airports due to strike in Germany

BERLIN (AA) - German authorities warned of flight disruptions at Hamburg and Munich airports on Thursday due to a strike by security and ground staff.

The half-day strike of security personnel at Munich airport began at 8.00 p.m. local time (0700GMT), according to a statement by the ver.di trade union.

The airport operator asked passengers to check the current status of their flight with airlines before heading to airport, and traveling with reduced and light hand luggage.

“As a high level of strike participation is to be expected, it can be assumed that virtually no passenger handling will be possible during the strike period,” the operator said in a statement.

Hamburg airport announced that the strike will likely cause delays and queues, but they will try to maintain normal flight operations.

Unionized employees in the areas of maintenance, boarding card control, and IT technology are holding a 24-hour strike at Hamburg airport because of a dispute over pay and working conditions.

The ver.di trade union began a series of walkouts this month after the second round of collective bargaining negotiations with the government and local authorities ended without agreement.

The union, which represents around 2.5 million public sector workers, is demanding a 10.5% and no less than €500 ($545) pay rise amid soaring inflation and the cost-of-living crisis.

A new round of negotiations is expected to begin next week.