Today’s strike by German airport ground handler staff has led to the cancellation of more than 850 flights affecting an estimated 80,000 passengers at the German airports of Frankfurt, Düsseldorf, Münich, Cologne, Hannover and Dortmund.

The dispute is centred on wage increases with the Verdi union representing the ground handlers, while Lufthansa and other carriers are obviously unable to function without essential ground handling services. Air Berlin has also cancelled all of its domestic flights until midday when it will review the situation again.

The lack of ground handlers also means that access to some gates at airports such as Frankfurt will be limited for the rest of today.

Gebr. Heinemann and Fraport management have made no secret about the disruption and damage to retail sales that repeated strike action has caused at German airports over the last year and a half.

Meanwhile, Lufthansa is warning all passengers to check with their airports to gauge what level of activity is taking place – or expected – today as well as tomorrow when the disruption will continue in early morning as aircraft relocate to scheduled destinations.

No sooner is the German one-day strike due to end at midnight when another is expected to begin across all the main airports in France tomorrow – this time involving French air traffic controllers.

Airlines are warning that this could also cause problems for services not only in France, but also in other countries, including Spain, Portugal, Morocco and the Canary Islands.