Pilotengehalt: Das verdienen Lufthansa-Piloten 2026

Frankfurt - Negotiations between Lufthansa pilots and their employer have continued, with the Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) pilot union filing a case with the Cologne district court at the end of June. The company leadership had terminated an agreement that would have exempted pilots from certain duties in VC committees and credited hours towards their wages.

The pilot union accuses the company of making one of the "harshest attacks" and intends to clarify the matter in court. Management responded by canceling the agreement in reaction to a significant strike wave. Multiple work stoppages in the first quarter and in April cost Lufthansa around 200 million euros in total. The dispute centers around pension contributions, with the VC demanding more while the management counters with Lufthansa's weak economic condition.

Flight operations are being restructured to exit the loss zone sustainably. VC President Michael Niggemann stated in an internal company interview that "even if the VC demands more employer benefits, we cannot further degrade the future viability of the entire company." Pension provisions are already at the top tier, surpassing European competitors, according to Lufthansa Airlines and Lufthansa Cargo's roughly 4,500 pilots.