Lufthansa long-haul pilots start 15-hour strike

Pilots on Lufthansa's long-haul fleet have started a 15-hour walkout at the airline's main Frankfurt hub in a festering contract dispute.
The Vereinigung Cockpit union called members out on strike from 8 am (0600 GMT) today in its fourth limited several-hour walkout over recent weeks and the first since a new round of talks collapsed last week.
Lufthansa said it plans to go ahead with 32 of the day's 57 scheduled intercontinental flights from Frankfurt 26 flown by volunteer pilots, the other six pushed forward or back tomorrow.
The two sides are at odds over the pilots' demand that Lufthansa keep a transition payment for those wanting early retirement.

The airline, facing competition from European budget airlines and major Gulf carriers, wants to cut those payments.