Berlin airport to put on additional flights after one-day strike

Berlin's international airport is set to put on several additional flights on Thursday after a one-day strike brought operations to a standstill.

Regular flight operations are due to resume with 29 additional take-offs and landings scheduled to accommodate travellers affected by the walkout on Wednesday.

The airport's operator has announced that around 80,000 passengers are expected to travel on Thursday, making it a normal day for traffic.

Around 2,000 employees of the Berlin-Brandenburg Airport Company (FBB) went on strike on Wednesday, including staff from the fire service, air traffic control and terminal management.

It was therefore deemed impossible to maintain flight operations, even though other areas such as ground handling services and security checks are carried out by service providers. 

"All passengers were informed by their airlines in good time and did not come to the airport in the first place," said an FBB spokeswoman. "Flights were rebooked or alternative travel arrangements offered."

According to the operators, around 445 flight movements involving some 57,000 passengers were affected. 

Verdi, one of Europe's biggest trade unions, is negotiating with FBB, seeking a salary increase of 6% or at least €250 ($287) for staff under a new collective agreement set to run for 12 months.

The union has also been pushing for an additional day off for union members.

During the second round of talks last week, employer representatives presented an initial offer that Verdi said did not go far enough.

FBB head Aletta von Massenbach called the industrial action disproportionate "especially in the already very tense situation due to the war in Iran."

She expressed confidence that an agreement would be reached at the next round of negotiations scheduled for March 25.