Overview

• The union Vereinigung Cockpit will open a strike ballot on September 12, with voting expected to run through the end of the month and no work stoppages during that period.
• The dispute stems from Lufthansa’s 2017 move from guaranteed pensions to a capital‑market model and a higher transitional‑pension age, which the union says underdelivers.
• VC says seven negotiation rounds produced no acceptable offer, calling for higher employer contributions when investment returns fall short.
• Around 4,800 pilots at Lufthansa and Lufthansa Cargo are eligible to vote, and an Erzwingungsstreik requires at least 75% approval, roughly 3,600 yes votes.
• Lufthansa told dpa it had not been officially informed of the talks’ failure; any strike authorized after the ballot could trigger flight cancellations, with EU rules giving passengers rights to rebooking, compensation or refunds.