Lufthansa has been forced to cancel hundreds of flights across Europe this week, with thousands of British tourists flying from major UK airports facing travel chaos.

Following the call by the Vereinigung Cockpit union for full-day strikes on Thursday, March 12, and Friday, March 13 March 2026, several flights have been cancelled.

The company said there will be “unavoidable impacts” due to “a strike announced at very short notice affecting cockpit staff” which is understood to be linked to an ongoing pension dispute. Lufthansa, however, is still expecting to operate “more than 50 percent” of its total flights. A special flight schedule for both days impacted by the strikes has also been published.

A message on the company’s website read: “We regret the impact on our customers, with whom we maintain trusted partnerships and who rely on our reliable transport solutions. At the same time, we are doing everything possible to maintain stable services for our customers and to keep critical supply chains moving as smoothly as possible.”

The most affected airports will be those in Munich and Frankfurt, where flights will be taken over by other airlines in the Lufthansa Group and by partner airlines. It is understood British airports are likely to be affected too, and flights to Frankfurt from Manchester and London Heathrow have been cancelled today.

The Daily Express has contacted Lufthansa for more information.

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