Associated Press BERLIN (AP) — A strike by security staff at eight German airports on Tuesday is causing travel chaos for tens of thousands of travelers. The ver.di union called on staff at airports including Frankfurt, Hamburg, Hannover and Bremen to walk off the job between 2 a.m. and 8 p.m. local time (0100 and 1900 GMT). In Frankfurt alone where more than 1,000 security staff were participating in the strike, 570 flights were canceled and that across Germany up to 220,000 passengers may be affected. "Air traffic is severely affected," ver.di's Benjamin Roscher in Frankfurt told the German news agency dpa. "We hope that the employers will finally be responsive to our demands." Frankfurt is the main hub for Germany's biggest airline, Lufthansa. The airline said earlier that passengers with a flight from Frankfurt can rebook for free onto another flight until Jan. 20. Ver.di said it is still waiting for employers to increase the pay of 23,000 security staff conducting checks and is demanding that their hourly rates rises to 20 euros ($23.10). Employers association BDLS says this could amount to a 30-percent increase in some cases. "Again, the trade dispute is being carried out on the backs of hundreds of thousands of passengers, the airlines and many other companies belonging to the German tourism industry," said Michael Rabe, the general secretary of the Federal Association of the German Tourism Industry. Last week, strikes across Germany resulted in the cancellation of hundreds of flights. IN PICTURES: 31 cool aviation photos<doc-sep>Hundreds of flights have been cancelled at eight German airports due to strikes initiated by the German trade union Ver.di. The walkouts are taking place at Hamburg, Munich, Hannover, Bremen, Leipzig, Dresden and Erfurt airports. The coordinated industrial action follows walkouts last Monday at Berlin airports, as well as similar protests in Stuttgart, Cologne/Bonn and Dusseldorf last Thursday. Around 220,000 passengers are expected to be affected by the industrial action. Germany's busiest airport, Frankfurt, will be most affected, with no passengers able to board flights unless they arrive in transit. Fraport, operator of Frankfurt airport, warned that severe disruption is likely. Recommended Chaos for passengers to and from Germany as security staff strike When are the strikes taking place? The strike began at 2am local time today and will continue until 8pm local time (1am – 7pm GMT). Which airports are affected? Frankfurt will be most impacted by the strike, but other affected airports include Hamburg, Munich, Hannover, Bremen, Leipzig, Dresden and Erfurt. Why is the strike happening? Members of the Ver.di union, which represents almost 23,000 aviation security staff, are striking over pay, following four unsuccessful rounds of negotiations with the security provider BDLS. Workers are seeking a minimum hourly wage of €20. “Because employers have shown no willingness to make a better offer, the extension of warning strikes has become necessary,” Ver.di board member, Ute Kittel, said in a statement. “We are ready to negotiate and conclude with a good offer,” she said. How do I know if my flight has been affected? Travellers are advised to contact their airline directly for confirmation and further details regarding cancellations and delays to services and rebookings. British Airways has offered affected customers the option of rebooking or claiming a refund. A spokesperson for the airport operator Fraport has advised travellers not to come to Frankfurt airport during the strike. A special care team of staff will be onsite to assist travellers who do arrive at Frankfurt airport. When will the matter be resolved? Negotiations are due to begin again on 23 January in Berlin.<doc-sep>Passengers flying to and from Frankfurt Airport will face a major disruption next Tuesday due to a warning strike, the airport officials said on Friday. Travelers "will not be able to reach flights during the strike period" which is scheduled to start at 2 a.m. and end at 8 p.m. local time (0100 – 1900 GMT) on January 15, they added. Germany's largest trade union, Verdi, called its members among the airports' security staff to stage an 18-hour walkout at Germany's largest airport, after smaller-scale strikes were staged in Berlin, Cologne-Bonn, Düsseldorf, and Stuttgart airports earlier this week. Following the announcement, Frankfurt Airport urged passengers not to come to the hub during the walkout, and to check with their airlines for more information. The scope of the strike was not immediately clear but a spokesman warned it would have "a massive impact on tens of thousands of travelers." Germany's flagship airline Lufthansa offered its passengers the possibility to rebook their flights out of Frankfurt for any other date between the January 11-20. The company also said it would publish a list of the canceled flights by Sunday afternoon. Pushing for more money This week's strikes in Berlin and other German cities canceled over 1,000 flights and affected an estimated 110,000 travelers. The disruptions were prompted by a wage dispute between the Verdi union and the airport security companies represented by the BDLS association. Currently, the airport security workers in Germany make between €11.30 and €17.16 ($13.06 and $19.67), depending on their responsibility and the region of the country. Read more: Heavy snowfall cancels flights at Munich Airport However, Verdi is demanding an across the board minimum wage of €20 per hour. On Friday, the union said that BDLS failed to provide a "negotiable offer" after the previous strikes. "We would absolutely not exclude that more airports will be affected by the strike" on Tuesday, they added. Wage talks are set to continue on January 23. dj/sms (Reuters, AFP, dpa) Each evening at 1830 UTC, DW's editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here.<doc-sep>NEW DELHI: If you are flying through Frankfurt on Lufthansa , be prepared for major flight disruptions due to a strike at the airport security staff there.The Lufthansa website on Sunday night said: “Due to a strike by the security staff at the airport, Lufthansa Group flights to and from Frankfurt will be considerably impaired Tuesday, January, 15. Please inform yourself about the status of your flight. A special feature, however, applies to passengers who want to start their flight in Frankfurt on Tuesday. According to the airport operator, security checks outside the transit area are not occupied. If you start your journey in Frankfurt, you will not be able to reach your flight during the entire strike period. Lufthansa therefore asks you not to go to the airport and instead, if you have not yet done so, to use rebooking options. In the chapters below you will find options for rebooking.”The mega German airline had a few days back also warned of disruptions on January 15. “The trade union Verdi has called for a comprehensive strike by security personnel at Frankfurt Airport .. on Tuesday, January 15. As a result, a considerable amount of disruptions are to be expected regarding flight operations to and from Frankfurt Airport.”“More detailed information for Lufthansa passengers is available at www.lufthansa.com. Passengers with a Lufthansa flight departing from Frankfurt can immediately change their flights free of charge to a date between 11 and 20 January. Passengers who are planning to start their journey from Frankfurt Airport this coming Tuesday should take particular note of the situation. According to the airport operator, the security checks outside the transit area will not be staffed.Therefore, passengers who are supposed to begin their journey in Frankfurt will not be able to reach their flight during the entire strike period as they will not be able to go through a security check. Lufthansa is therefore asking these guests not to go to the airport during that time, but instead to use rebooking options online at www.lufthansa.com or the Lufthansa App to rebook their flights accordingly. This explicitly does not apply to transit passengers changing flights at Frankfurt Airport, but only those who are starting their journey there,” Lufthansa had said in a statement earlier.<doc-sep>
Germany flights: Hundreds of flights cancelled as airport staff walk out - are you affected? Germany airport employees will walk out tomorrow as they demand higher wages in a strike that will affect thousands of holidaymakers. Lufthansa, the largest German airline, has revealed it is cancelling at least 414 flights. Eight German airports will be hit by the industrial action, including Lufthansa’s hubs in Frankfurt and Munich. Airport security workers at Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg, Hanover, Bremen, Dresden, Leipzig/Halle and Erfurt intend to walk out tomorrow from 2am to 8pm. Germany flights: Hundreds of flights cancelled as airport staff walk out - are you affected? Today, Frankfurt airport operator Fraport announced that airlines already cancelled about 470 flights tomorrow. This means every third flight will be axed. According to the airport association ADV, at least 220,000 passengers will be hit by the planned action, reported German press agency DPA. Last week one 100,000 passengers were disrupted by the cancellation of 800 flights after security personnel at airports in Berlin, Cologne-Bonn, Düsseldorf and Stuttgart walked out. German trade union Ver.di has warned of “very severe restrictions” in air traffic on Tuesday. Trade unions are fighting to improve the wages and working conditions of 23,000 aviation security employees. “Because employers have shown no willingness to make a better offer, the extension of warning strikes has become necessary,” Ver.di board member Ute Kittel said in a statement on Monday. Germany flights: Lufthansa has revealed it is cancelling at least 414 flights She added that employees were disappointed with the attitude of their employers and they did not value the difficulty and responsibility of their job. The union is demanding an hourly wage of €20 but the increase employers are currently offering is just 40 cents. Wages vary nationwide but, according to The Local, workers in some airports in eastern Germany earn around €14 per hour, compared with just over €17 for their peers in the capital and western parts of the country. The next round of negotiations is due to take place on 23 January. Travellers are advised to not go to the airport during the strike. According to a spokesman for Fraport, passengers should ask airlines about rebooking or other alternatives, reported DPA. Those simply stopping over in Frankfurt before flying elsewhere (roughly 60 per cent of passengers) will not be affected if they remain in the departure lounge area. Germany flights: At least 220,000 passengers will be hit by the planned action Martin Lewis offers advice on cancelled flights during strikes