Pilotengehalt: Das verdienen Lufthansa-Piloten 2026

In a continuing dispute between Lufthansa pilots and the company, the pilot union Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) has taken the matter to the District Court in Cologne at the end of June. The company management had previously terminated an agreement that would have relieved pilots from certain duties within the VC committees and credited hours.

The VC describes this as one of their "most aggressive attacks" and intends to clarify the issue in court. Management responded by canceling the agreement in response to a significant strike wave. The strikes in the first quarter and in April cost Lufthansa around 200 million euros, according to company figures. The dispute revolves around pension contributions, with the VC demanding more and the management countering with the poor financial health of the premium brand Lufthansa.

The flight operations have been restructured for months to exit the loss zone sustainably. "Just because the VC is demanding more employer benefits does not mean we can further degrade the company's future prospects," said Lufthansa personnel chief Michael Niggemann in an internal company interview. The pension system is already at the top level, even compared to European competitors, and applies to the approximately 4,500 pilots at Lufthansa Airlines and Lufthansa Cargo.