Lufthansa pilots have voted to stage an all-day strike tomorrow.
The industrial action, which is protesting pay and an early retirement scheme, will affect the German carrier's long-haul and cargo flights.
It is the 13th walkout in 18 months to be called by the Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) union, which is challenging plans to change a retirement policy that sees pilots retire at 55 and retain some of their pay until they reach the state pension age.
VC has offered concessions, including increasing the average retirement age to 60, reports Reuters.
However, the union wants Lufthansa to stop employing staff on non-German contracts to expand Eurowings, which has an operating licence in Austria. It said this ia a precondition for talks.
Lufthansa said it hopes to operate the "majority" of long-haul flights planned for tomorrow.
The frequent strikes by pilots at Lufthansa — and at Air France and Norwegian — are the result of the long-established carriers clashing with unions as they try to cut costs to compete with budget airlines.
Graham Smith
