Lufthansa strike cancels 500 flights at Frankfurt and Munich, affecting 90,000 passengers

Disruption overview

A post-Easter cabin crew strike by Lufthansa on 13 April 2026 forced the airline to cancel 500 flights across Frankfurt Airport and Munich Airport, leaving about 90,000 passengers stranded across Europe. Frankfurt was hit hardest, with around 350 canceled flights, while another 150 were cut from Munich, and the disruption spilled into Lufthansa CityLine services and some United Airlines and Air Canada connections. Lufthansa has warned customers not to travel to the airport unless their flight is operating and is offering rebooking or refunds through late April. Because the strike involves the airline's own staff, many affected passengers may be entitled to up to $650 compensation under EC 261 if their flight was canceled or delayed by more than 3 hours.

Disruption details

Lufthansa canceled 500 flights on 13 April 2026 after a post-Easter cabin crew strike hit Frankfurt Airport (FRA) and Munich Airport (MUC). For passengers, that meant grounded plans, long waits, and a difficult search for new routes across Europe.

The airline says around 90,000 passengers are stranded. About 350 flights were cut from Frankfurt and another 150 from Munich. Because these are Lufthansa's two main hubs, the disruption quickly spread across the wider Lufthansa Group network.

The impact was especially clear at Lufthansa's two hub airports:

• Around 350 flights were canceled at Frankfurt Airport.

• Around 150 flights were canceled at Munich Airport.

• Lufthansa estimates 90,000 passengers were affected across Europe.

• Lufthansa CityLine halted most services, adding to the network-wide disruption.

The strike was called by Unabhängige Flugbegleiter Organisation, or UFO, Lufthansa's independent cabin crew union. It followed months of wage talks, with the union demanding a 15% pay increase and a one-off €3,000 inflation-relief payment for flight attendants.

UFO says cabin crew have lost purchasing power despite record Lufthansa profits and increasingly demanding rosters. Management's latest staggered pay offer was rejected as insufficient, and the union timed the walkout for the busy return-to-work period straight after Easter, when flights were already running close to full.

That timing made rebooking much harder. With very few spare seats available, some travelers turned to expensive rail alternatives, while others faced re-accommodation delays stretching to 16 April. At Frankfurt Airport, passengers were also dealing with long lines and limited information.

The problems did not stop with Lufthansa's own flights. Lufthansa CityLine suspended most services, and broken connections at Frankfurt and Munich led to knock-on delays for United Airlines and Air Canada. Deutsche Bahn also saw a surge in last-minute bookings as stranded passengers switched from air to rail.

Lufthansa has told customers not to go to the airport unless their flight is confirmed as operating. The airline is offering free rebooking or refund options through late April and says it will provide meals, hotel rooms, and ground transportation where needed.

UFO has described the action as a warning strike and says broader industrial action could follow around Pentecost and the early-summer peak if negotiations do not improve by the end of April. At the time of publication, the walkout was still ongoing and no formal end time had been announced.

Because this was a strike by the airline's own staff, many affected passengers may be covered by EC 261. If your Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt or Munich was canceled at short notice or arrived more than 3 hours late, you could be entitled to up to $650 compensation, as well as rerouting or a refund and care such as meals, communication, and accommodation if needed. If you want to see what applies to your journey, you can check your compensation with AirHelp in just 2 minutes.

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