600 pilot and 2600 flight attendant jobs in danger

Although these are only calculated figures, they are not very encouraging. Last week the heads of the Lufthansa Group and the trade unions Verdi, Vereinigung Cockpit and Ufo met. At the meeting, the situation in the Group as a result of the corona crisis was discussed. On Monday (June, 15) the staff councils were also informed. The conclusion: There is an overcapacity of 22,000 full-time positions.

The Lufthansa airline alone is «perspectively affected with a calculated 5,000 jobs», the Group announced. 600 jobs of pilots are threatened, 2600 of flight attendants and 1500 of ground staff. 1400 jobs at headquarters and in other group companies in administration are also affected. «According to our current assumptions about the course of business over the next three years, we have no perspective of employing one in seven pilots and one in six flight attendants as well as numerous ground staff at Lufthansa alone», summarizes Michael Niggemann, Executive Board Member for Human Resources and Legal Affairs.

Figures could still rise

Lufthansa Technik has a worldwide surplus of about 4500 jobs, 2500 of which are in Germany. The catering subsidiary LSG Group has 8300 jobs too many worldwide, 1500 of them in Germany. The overcapacity could even increase if no way is found to «get through the crisis with competitive personnel costs,» said Niggemann. The Group is proposing short-time work, collective agreements to reduce weekly working hours or other cost-cutting measures.

There is not much time left. The crisis agreements are to be concluded by 22 June. Niggemann: «In the biggest crisis in aviation history, we want to secure over 100,000 jobs in the Lufthansa Group in the long term, despite all the challenges. To achieve this, painful restructuring measures are unavoidable, which we want to implement in as socially responsible a manner as possible.»