Hundreds of flights cancelled in fresh round of strikes at German airports

Strikes at four German airports have led to the cancellation of hundreds of flights in the latest bout of industrial action to disrupt travel plans in recent months.

The latest round of strikes on Friday follows a call by the German union Verdi to security and ground handling staff at airports in Duesseldorf, Cologne/Bonn, Stuttgart and Baden-Baden to strike over pay and working conditions.

Cologne/Bonn Airport said that 144 flights were cancelled as a result, while Duesseldorf Airport said earlier in the week it was working on a "significantly reduced flight schedule". It had originally scheduled 368 take-offs and landings for Friday.

"No take-offs and landings are possible all day due to the Verdi strike," Stuttgart Airport said in a statement, calling on passengers not to travel to the airport.

Earlier this week, Berlin, Bremen and Hamburg airports cancelled all commercial flights due to strike action, the latest in a string of walkouts as the post-pandemic travel rebound fuels staffing problems and workers call for more pay due to high inflation.

A series of strikes and protests have hit major European economies, including France, Britain and Spain, as higher food and energy prices knock incomes and living standards.

READ MORE: German airport strike grounds hundreds of flights