Passengers at Cologne and Düsseldorf airports are likely to face severe disruptions on Monday as the Verdi union initiated warning strikes.
At Cologne/Bonn Airport, staff began their strike action on Sunday evening, while in Düsseldorf, the industrial action started early Monday morning. The strikes are set to last for 24 hours, ending late Monday evening, according to local media.
This is expected to lead to significant cancellations and delays of numerous scheduled flights. Passengers are advised to check for updates before traveling.
Widespread Flight Disruptions
In Cologne alone, more than 100 flights may be affected. Early estimates indicate that 106 scheduled passenger flights—53 departures and 53 arrivals—may not proceed as planned.
Düsseldorf Airport, the largest in North Rhine-Westphalia, is also anticipating a "significant impact," with at least 30 percent of the 334 scheduled take-offs and landings expected to be canceled, as reported by The Local.
Arrival and departure flight statuses for Cologne-Bonn Airport can be checked [here], while those for Düsseldorf Airport can be found [here].
Affected passengers may be eligible for compensation if their flight is delayed by more than three hours or canceled within 14 days of departure.
Ivaylo Danailov, co-founder of the airline compensation service SkyRefund, stated, "If your flight is canceled and you opt for a refund, you are legally entitled to a full reimbursement for both your canceled flight and your return flight if you were unable to reach your destination."
Under EU regulations, affected passengers may receive up to €600 in compensation.
Critical Operations Severely Affected
The Verdi union has warned that critical airport operations, such as baggage handling, aircraft servicing on the tarmac, and security control procedures, will face severe disruptions.
Düsseldorf International Airport is Germany’s fourth-largest airport, with over 19 million passengers passing through in 2023. Meanwhile, Cologne-Bonn is the country’s sixth-largest airport and the third-largest for cargo transportation.
Why is Verdi Bringing Strikes to Airports?
These airport staff strikes are part of a broader wave of industrial action by public sector employees, which have already impacted kindergartens, municipal offices, public transport, and hospitals in North Rhine-Westphalia and across Germany.
According to Verdi, many airport employees are also covered under the collective agreement for public service workers. In Düsseldorf, for example, this includes staff working in administration, check-in, aircraft handling, passenger and crew transport, as well as baggage handling.
A second round of wage negotiations took place last week in Potsdam, eastern Germany, but ended without a resolution.
Verdi's regional director suggests that airport employees are shouldering increasing workloads and mounting pressure due to staff shortages.
In the latest public sector negotiations, Verdi has demanded an 8 percent wage increase or at least €350, three additional vacation days, and higher bonuses for certain job categories.
The next round of collective bargaining negotiations is scheduled for March 14.