UPDATE - Lufthansa strike grounds hundreds of flights in Germany

UPDATES WITH COMMENTS OF TRADE UNION REPRESENTATIVE, ADDS MORE DETAILS, EDITS THROUGHOUT

BERLIN (AA) - Pilots at Lufthansa went on a strike on Friday, forcing the German air carrier to cancel nearly 800 flights on Friday, affecting around 130,000 passengers.

The strike began at 00:01 a.m. local time and is set to continue until 23:59 p.m., according to a statement by the pilots' union Vereinigung Cockpit (VC).

Lufthansa has asked its passengers to check the current status of their flight online, contact a call center for a rebooking solution, and avoid traveling to the airport.

“Due to the strike, only a few or no service counters are open there. It is therefore highly unlikely that you will be offered an immediate alternative there either,” the company said.

Nearly all Lufthansa flights from Frankfurt and Munich hubs were canceled on Friday, and there might be more cancellations or delays on Saturday and Sunday, the airline warned.

Lars Frontini, spokesman for the trade union, told Anadolu Agency that the rising cost of living is making it difficult for the pilots to carry on.

"Pay rise is important in the times of high inflation, this affects everybody, so it’s not abnormal that pilots are also pleading for some pay rise,” he said.

The union decided on industrial action after negotiations with the management failed to make any headway on Wednesday.

“Lufthansa must present a significantly improved offer," negotiator Marcel Groels said in a statement, adding that the positions of the management and the union were “too far apart” at the moment.

The union is demanding a 5.5% pay rise in 2022, automatic inflation adjustments for the next year, and an internationally competitive remuneration structure in all occupational groups.