The signs are currently pointing towards further escalation. In Germany, agreement was reached on an arbitration procedure under the aegis of Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow. He sees a “new Lufthansa” that invests not only in technology and infrastructure but also in satisfied staff.Vienna/Schwechat/Frankfurt.
This statement is likely to be perceived by the AUA on-board staff representatives as just as “cynical” as they viewed recent statements by AUA boss Annette Mann. This was appointed by the Lufthansa Group in Vienna as AUA CEO and recently threatened that the Vienna hub might be served by cheaper Lufthansa subsidiaries in the future, the local staff representatives insisted on their demands. Of course she didn’t want that, emphasized Mann, but the threat is still out there.
- Video: Strike at the AUA
According to observers in Germany, the agreement might be a “blueprint” for future labor disputes for Lufthansa’s ground staff. It remains to be seen whether there might be similar options from the Lufthansa Group’s perspective at AUA for the on-board staff who are currently on strike. The Lufthansa Group did not want to comment on all of this on Thursday when asked by the APA. This is “basically not done,” said a spokesman on questions surrounding the strike and the role of Austrian Airlines in the group and the threat from AUA CEO Mann. When asked regarding the role of the AUA in the overall group following its takeover by Lufthansa, it was said: “The role of the AUA has not changed.”
Referenced to increased costs
Mann has been CEO since 2022, replacing Alexis von Hoensbroech. She had already expressed concern regarding the Vienna location in autumn 2023. She already pointed out increased costs back then.
The AUA takeover by Lufthansa was fixed in 2008. The former state-owned airline has belonged to the German giant since 2009 – the Republic gave half a billion euros and the Austrian brand was retained. There were several interested parties; in addition to Lufthansa, Air France-KLM and the Russian S7 were shortlisted. Basically, Lufthansa said at the time that it wanted to operate several hubs in parallel in a “multi-hub system”. Zurich had already joined Munich and Frankfurt in Germany with the Swiss takeover and Vienna followed with the AUA.
