Lufthansa Strike Cancels 800 Flights, Disrupting Frankfurt and Munich Hubs Across Europe

Thousands of travelers in Germany and across Europe are facing major disruption after a one day strike by Lufthansa pilots and flight attendants forced the cancellation of around 800 flights on Thursday, February 12, 2026. The walkout, centered on pay, pensions and working conditions, has hit the airline’s main hubs in Frankfurt and Munich particularly hard and is rippling across global networks as connections are missed and aircraft and crews fall out of position. Here is what travelers need to know if they are flying with Lufthansa or transiting through Germany in the coming days.

What Is Happening and How Widespread Is the Disruption

Lufthansa, Germany’s largest airline, has confirmed that close to 800 flights were canceled on February 12 after pilots and cabin crew launched coordinated strike action. The company has said that around 100,000 passengers are directly affected, though the true number of travelers facing delays, missed connections and last minute changes is likely to be significantly higher as the disruption reverberates through the wider network.

The impact is most severe at Lufthansa’s main hubs, Frankfurt Airport and Munich Airport, where departure boards are dominated by cancellations across short haul European routes and long haul services to North America, Asia and the Middle East. German airport association figures indicate that roughly 450 of more than 1,100 planned flights from Frankfurt and around 275 of 920 planned flights from Munich have been grounded. Other German airports, including Berlin and Hamburg, are also experiencing substantial disruption to Lufthansa services.

Although this is a one day strike, the operational effects are not limited to a single calendar day. Aircraft and crews are out of place, maintenance schedules are disrupted and knock on delays are likely as Lufthansa works to restore a normal timetable. The airline has said it expects to return to something close to its regular schedule on Friday, February 13, but passengers should be prepared for lingering delays, re timings and some residual cancellations, especially on heavily affected routes.

The strike coincides with major events on the European calendar, including the opening of the Berlinale film festival in Berlin and the run up to the Munich Security Conference, increasing the stakes for business travelers, delegates and media trying to reach Germany this week.

Who Is Striking and Why Lufthansa Staff Walked Out

The industrial action is being led jointly by the pilots’ union, representing around 4,800 Lufthansa and Lufthansa Cargo pilots, and the UFO cabin crew union, which represents flight attendants at Lufthansa and its regional subsidiaries. The pilots’ core grievance centers on company pension provisions and long term security, while cabin crew are engaged in broader collective bargaining over pay scales, scheduling rules and job security, particularly at regional carrier Lufthansa CityLine, which faces the prospect of closure or restructuring.

Union representatives say that negotiations have stalled after months of talks, and that management has failed to present what they consider an acceptable offer. They argue that years of cost cutting and productivity increases have come at the expense of staff, and that workers are now using one of the few tools available to them to exert pressure on the company. Leaders of the pilots’ union have publicly warned that further strikes cannot be ruled out if no improved proposal is put on the table.

For its part, Lufthansa has condemned the strike as a disproportionate measure that punishes passengers and risks damaging the airline’s competitiveness. Management has highlighted the company’s efforts in recent years to stabilize its finances and invest in new aircraft and products after the shocks of the pandemic and energy price spikes. The airline says it remains open to negotiations but insists that it must keep long term costs under control to compete in a crowded European and global market.

This confrontation is the latest in a series of labor disputes at European airlines, reflecting wider tensions in the sector as carriers seek to rebuild profitability while staff demand that their pay and conditions keep pace with inflation and rising workloads. For travelers, it is another reminder that industrial relations have become a recurring source of travel risk that must be factored into trip planning.

Which Flights and Airlines Are Affected

The strike action specifically targets Lufthansa’s mainline operations in Germany, including Lufthansa passenger flights and its cargo arm, as well as regional subsidiary Lufthansa CityLine. Most of the cancellations are on Lufthansa operated flights departing from German airports, particularly Frankfurt and Munich, but the knock on effects extend to inbound flights and onward connections through these hubs. Travelers originating outside Germany on Lufthansa operated services may also experience cancellations or significant delays if their aircraft or crew are affected by the work stoppage.

Other airlines within the wider Lufthansa Group, such as Swiss, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and ITA Airways, are not part of this strike action and are operating their own schedules as planned. Similarly, low cost carriers such as Ryanair and EasyJet, as well as leisure airlines like Condor, are not directly involved. However, passengers should be aware that the overall strain on airport infrastructure, gates, security and rebooking desks can affect the broader airport experience even when flying on unaffected carriers.

Code share passengers need to pay particular attention. If you have booked through a partner airline but your flight is operated by Lufthansa, the strike may impact your trip even if your ticket does not bear a Lufthansa flight number. Conversely, some passengers holding Lufthansa tickets may find that their itinerary includes flights operated by partner airlines that continue to run as scheduled. Checking the operating carrier of each flight segment is crucial.

While the worst of the disruption is concentrated in Germany, the airline’s global reach means that busy long haul routes such as those to New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Toronto, Singapore, Tokyo and Johannesburg are seeing cancellations and retimings as well. Travelers connecting through Frankfurt or Munich from other continents may find that their onward short haul links are canceled even if their long haul flight is still operating.

Your Rights as a Passenger Under EU Regulations

Because this is an internal labor dispute at an EU based airline, the strike typically does not qualify as an extraordinary circumstance under European Union air passenger rights rules. This distinction is important for travelers seeking compensation and assistance. Under Regulation EC 261, passengers whose flights are canceled or suffer long delays due to airline staff strikes generally enjoy strong protections.

If your Lufthansa flight departing from an EU airport, or any Lufthansa flight to the EU operated by the airline, is canceled, the carrier is obliged to offer you a choice between a refund of the unused portion of your ticket and rerouting at the earliest opportunity under comparable transport conditions. In addition, depending on the notice period you were given and the alternative options offered, you may also be entitled to financial compensation, which is typically a fixed sum determined by the distance of the flight and the total delay to your arrival time.

Passengers also have a right to care during long delays or while awaiting rerouting. This can include meals and refreshments, access to communication such as phone calls or emails, and hotel accommodation where an overnight stay becomes necessary, along with transport between the airport and the hotel. These obligations apply regardless of the cause of the disruption when it stems from issues within the airline’s control, such as employee strikes.

In practice, travelers should keep boarding passes, booking confirmations and any receipts for out of pocket expenses that they may later seek to reclaim. It is usually necessary to submit a claim directly to the airline after the event, either through an online form or customer relations channel. Passengers should be prepared for processing times and potential disputes over eligibility, but EU rules provide a strong basis for asserting your rights in the wake of this strike.

How Lufthansa Is Managing Rebookings and What You Should Do Now

Lufthansa has been proactively canceling flights and rebooking passengers in an attempt to manage the disruption in an orderly way. The airline has stated that affected customers are being notified, primarily via email and app notifications, and automatically rebooked where possible on alternative flights. For domestic German routes, the airline is advising travelers that rail options may be available as substitutes, turning flight tickets into vouchers for train travel in some cases.

If you are scheduled to fly with Lufthansa on February 12, or on the immediate days following the strike, you should first check the status of your flight online or in the airline’s mobile app before heading to the airport. Do not assume that your flight is operating simply because you have not yet received a notification. Given the scale of the disruption, digital systems may lag behind the reality on the ground.

Travelers who find their flight canceled should consider whether to accept the airline’s proposed rebooking, request alternative routing or opt for a refund and make their own arrangements. During major disruptions, phone lines and airport ticket counters are often overwhelmed, so using online tools and apps can be the quickest route to a solution. However, for complex itineraries or urgent travel, speaking directly with an agent may still be necessary to explore options such as rerouting via different hubs or on partner airlines.

If you are already en route or stranded mid journey, head for the dedicated Lufthansa service desks inside the terminal, but be prepared for long queues. Keep your expectations realistic, as seating on remaining flights is limited and many services are already fully booked. Travelers with time sensitive commitments should weigh the merits of alternative carriers or ground transport, especially for intra European trips where rail or bus options can provide workable backups.

Practical Strategies for Travelers Caught in the Strike

For travelers impacted by the Lufthansa strike, a calm, strategic approach can help mitigate stress and salvage as much of your itinerary as possible. Start by prioritizing your most critical segments. If you are on a long haul trip with multiple connections, concentrate on preserving the legs that get you to your ultimate destination, even if it means accepting a less convenient departure time or routing.

When considering alternatives, look beyond Germany’s borders. Nearby hubs such as Zurich, Vienna, Amsterdam, Paris and London may offer more reliable departure points, particularly if your original plan involved transiting through Frankfurt or Munich. In some cases, purchasing a separate ticket on another airline from an alternative airport, combined with rail or bus travel to reach that airport, can be a faster and more certain solution than waiting for Lufthansa’s next available seat.

For domestic and short haul European journeys, rail travel is often a robust backup. Germany’s rail network, along with international connections to neighboring countries, offers frequent services between major cities and can replace short flights relatively easily. While trains may also be crowded due to rebooked passengers, they are less vulnerable to the kind of wholesale shutdown that an airline strike can cause.

Travel insurers may be able to help, depending on the specifics of your policy. Coverage for airline strikes varies widely, with some policies including explicit provisions for industrial action and others excluding it. If you have travel insurance, review the terms and contact your provider to understand what costs may be recoverable, from nonrefundable hotel nights to additional transport expenses. Keep detailed records of your communications, alternative bookings and any expenditures incurred as a result of the disruption.

What This Means for Upcoming Trips and the Weeks Ahead

While Lufthansa expects to restore a near normal schedule from Friday, February 13, the underlying labor dispute remains unresolved. Union leaders have indicated that further strikes could follow if negotiations do not progress, and management has yet to signal a breakthrough. Travelers with Lufthansa tickets over the coming weeks should remain alert to updates and factor the risk of renewed action into their planning.

If you have flexibility, you may wish to avoid critical travel with Lufthansa on dates when talks are scheduled or deadlines approach in the ongoing negotiations. Keeping itineraries as simple as possible, with direct flights instead of complex connections through German hubs, can reduce your exposure to cascading disruptions. Where alternative carriers or routes are available at a reasonable cost, it may be prudent to consider them for particularly time sensitive trips.

For those already committed to Lufthansa flights, staying informed is key. Ensure that your contact details in your booking are up to date, enable notifications in the airline’s app and monitor official communications in the days leading up to departure. If signs of renewed strike threats emerge, consider preemptive changes to your itinerary while options are still relatively open.

At the same time, travelers should keep in mind that large European airlines and unions often return to the negotiating table after initial showdowns, and prolonged stoppages remain the exception rather than the rule. The current disruption, while serious and highly inconvenient for many, may ultimately prove to be a short, sharp shock rather than a drawn out crisis. Nonetheless, for anyone planning to pass through Germany in the near term, building extra resilience into your travel plans is a wise precaution.

Key Takeaways for Travelers Navigating the Lufthansa Strike

The Lufthansa strike on February 12, 2026 has led to the cancellation of around 800 flights and disrupted the plans of roughly 100,000 passengers, hitting Frankfurt and Munich particularly hard and causing knock on effects across Europe and beyond. The dispute is rooted in long running tensions over pensions, pay and working conditions between the airline and its pilots and cabin crew unions, with no definitive settlement in sight as of today.

Passengers caught in the disruption should act quickly but methodically. Verify your flight status before heading to the airport, make full use of digital rebooking tools and consider alternative routes and modes of transport, especially for short haul journeys. Remember that EU air passenger rights offer significant protection in cases of airline staff strikes, including the possibility of compensation, refunds and care during delays.

Looking ahead, Lufthansa aims to return to normal operations from Friday, but the risk of additional industrial action remains. Travelers with upcoming trips should stay informed, keep plans as flexible as possible and, where critical commitments are involved, weigh the benefits of building in backups or choosing carriers and routings less exposed to the current dispute.

For now, the strike serves as a sharp reminder that in modern air travel, labor relations are as important a factor as weather or technical issues when assessing the reliability of a trip. With preparation, awareness and a willingness to adjust plans on the fly, travelers can still navigate this turbulent period and reach their destinations with as little disruption as the circumstances allow.