by Lufthansa Flyer | Dec 6, 2015 | Featured, Lufthansa |
In reports coming from the AP, Reuters, and Yahoo, a Jordanian passenger traveling on an American passport aboard a Lufthansa flight between Frankfurt and Belgrade had become unruly and attempted to open one of the aircraft’s exterior doors.
According to the reports, the passenger was witnessed as crying out that he wished to take the passengers along with himself to join ‘Allah’.
After the passenger was subdued by the crew, he was restrained by members of a Serbian handball team that was aboard the flight.
The passenger was taken into custody by Serb officials after the plane arrived safely in Belgrade.
According to LH, passengers were not at risk due to the fact that the aircraft’s doors can not be open while an aircraft is in flight.
by Lufthansa Flyer | Dec 3, 2015 | Featured, Lufthansa, Strike |
Early today in Frankfurt, a much awaited meeting took place between Lufthansa and the 3 main unions that cover most of their employees. Based on the comments coming from the meeting, there seems to be a genuine desire to find solutions but no firm outcomes came from the sessions.
Instead, all sides agreed that they need to improve trust and transparency amongst one another if long term labor peace is to be achieved. However that transparency does not involve the public as all sides decided that the contents of todays meeting are to be held in confidence. In addition, LH and the unions also agreed to keep the nature of future negotiations from the public as well.
As an optimist, these comments strike me as a desire by the airline and unions to keep their dirty laundry between themselves and not wage their battles in public. As part of this, they’ll try to restore trust that may have been lost between the airline and labor. Their comment about keeping their battles out of the public’s eye suggest to me that strikes would not be used as a weapon, but I may be TOO optimistic to go that far.
However as a pessimist, I do not get a positive ‘vibe’ after today’s meeting that anything has truly been accomplished. I continue to get the impression both sides have serious impasses to overcome and are not really certain how to do it, nor is anyone prepared to give up any ground in the process which means we can expect more of the same behaviors going forward.
Insanity is defined by the concept of doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different result from the process.
I can’t think of a better way to sum things up when it comes to how things are going between LH and the unions.
There is however on small bit of silver lining…..
Late last week, LH and Ver.di, who represents 30,000 LH employees who are not cabin crew or pilots, reached a deal that would enhance pension benefits and provide for pay increases over the next 2 years. As part of the deal, members will also get a one time payment of up to €2250 this year. This new contract will be in force until December 2017.
by Lufthansa Flyer | Nov 29, 2015 | Featured, Lufthansa, Munich, Plane Spotting |
On a cold day in Munich, with bits of freezing rain and whipping winds to keep me less than comfortable, I finally accomplished a project that started 3 years ago. Today, when I shot Lufthansa’s A330 ‘D-AIKS’ departing Munich for Charlotte, I had completed personally spotting and photographing the entire Lufthansa mainline fleet which includes all their A319-20-21, A330, A340, 747, 747-8i, and A380 aircraft.
Wheels Up……D-AIKS departs Munich for Charlotte
I’ve been stalking her patterns over the last 2 weeks and with help from a few insiders at Lufthansa, I was able to know her schedule a week in advance. I had been in Europe for other reasons and this simply coincided perfectly.
There was however a scare this morning as to her whereabouts. I had expected ‘KS’ to depart mid-morning for Mumbai but that departure came and went without her…..
Originally, ‘KS’ was slated to fly between Munich and Mumbai, but because of a delayed return from Mumbai from the previous night she could not be turned around in time to return to Mumbai as planned.
No information was available from my regular sources since it was a Sunday but as luck would have it, ‘KS’ pulled on to the taxiway as the last A330 that was leaving from the morning long-haul departure rush. I really did not want to wait around in the rain and wind for the late afternoon departures for Washington, Boston and Newark, nor did I want to keep hunting her indefinitely. I’m glad it worked out in the end!
Over the next few weeks (which will probably turn into months), I’ll try to published the entire fleet in the Lufthansa gallery on my Aero-Shots.com website.
It does appear however, that I need to find a new hobby!
‘KS’ pulling away from Munich
Spotting the spotter as KS departed Munich. Thanks to FlyerTalk’s ‘NewbieRunner’ for catching the moment!
by Lufthansa Flyer | Nov 25, 2015 | Featured, Lufthansa, Strike |
It appears that the union made a reasonable decision to cancel this week’s strikes to give an opportunity for a December 2 meeting with LH to take place in good faith.
That meeting had been called by Lufthansa last week in an attempt to sit down with all 3 unions to discuss a way forward.
Earlier this week UFO had called for a strike for late this week and next Monday, so at least for now flights will take place as scheduled and won’t impact Thanksgiving Holiday travel to Europe. The union in fact did confirm it will not plan any strikes ahead of December 2.
by Lufthansa Flyer | Nov 23, 2015 | Featured, Lufthansa, Strike |
Just when I thought that there was hope for labor peace due to an upcoming sit down between the 3 Unions and Lufthansa, one of the Unions pulls a fast one and threatens to strike this week.
Our ‘friends’ at UFO, who represent the cabin crews and who were responsible for the recent week-long series of strikes have once again scheduled to strike. This time plans call for the walkouts to take place this week on Thursday and Friday, November 26 and 27. And if they aren’t appeased, they’ll strike again on Monday November 30.
Details of the strikes were not yet announced but I expect them to cover the whole range of LH’s service, including Long Haul, Intra-German, and European routes.
I’m surprised at this latest gambit especially because a meeting had been scheduled by Lufthansa that was to be held on December 2 where all 3 unions were to sit and discuss what it would take to reach a long term agreement on labor.
So much for goodwill and olive branches…..
