Berlin Brandenburg Airport has been brought to a standstill as a large-scale strike forced the cancellation of 445 flights on March 21, 2024. Approximately 57,000 passengers were left stranded, including thousands of UK travellers caught up in the disruption.
The strike involves around 2,000 Verdi service workers demanding higher wages. With staff absent, all incoming and outgoing flights were halted, causing chaos at one of Germany’s major air transport hubs.
UK flights were particularly hard hit, with British Airways, easyJet, and Ryanair among the airlines most affected. Flights cancelled include departures from London Heathrow, Gatwick, City, Luton, and Stansted airports, as well as from Manchester, Bristol, and Edinburgh.
Notable UK flight cancellations on the day include:
- 9:50am easyJet from London Luton
- 10:05am British Airways from Heathrow
- 10:25am Ryanair from Stansted
- 11:15am easyJet from Gatwick
- 8:10pm easyJet from Edinburgh
- 8:50pm easyJet from Manchester
- 9:10pm Ryanair from Stansted
Passengers affected by the cancellations are advised to contact their airlines immediately to arrange refunds or rebooking options. The airport confirmed that “No scheduled passenger flights will be possible today.”
Further disruption may occur as wage negotiations are scheduled for March 25, 2024. Berlin airport chief Aletta von Massenbach described the strike as “disproportionate,” highlighting the tense international context, including the ongoing Iran conflict, as a factor in the timing of the action.
This strike adds to ongoing challenges in European air travel. Earlier this month, Lufthansa cancelled 600 flights during a two-day strike. British Airways has suspended all flights to Dubai until June due to the Iran crisis, and Air New Zealand has cut 1,000 flights amid rising fuel costs.
With Europe’s skies already facing significant disruptions, travellers are advised to prepare for potential further travel chaos in the weeks ahead.
Originally published by UKNIP.
