Pilots and cabin crews vote for strike action at German airline Discover

In two separate ballots, pilots and cabin crew staff - who are union members - voted to turn to strike action if demands over pay and conditions are not met by employers at Discover. 

In the ballot held by the Cockpit Pilots' Association (Vereinigung Cockpit or VC), 81 percent of those surveyed voted in favour of walking out. The turnout for the ballot was 90 percent.

Over 91 percent of those balloted in the Independent Flight Attendants' Organisation (UFO) voted in favour of strike action. 

The Pilots' Association said it would continue to coordinate its actions closely with UFO.

Discover Airlines, which until last September was known as Eurowings Discover, is part of the Lufthansa group and employs around 2,000 people. Based in Frankfurt, western Germany, it has a fleet of around 27 planes handling short, medium, and long-haul flights to tourist destinations.

It comes after the union Verdi struck a collective bargaining agreement with Discover recently. Employee representatives have said this agreement is not sufficient. 

"The German constitution gives the employees of a company the right to decide for themselves who represents them," said Marcel Gröls, Chairman of Collective Bargaining Policy at VC.

He added that the VC have decided "by a clear majority that they will not accept the employers‘ side concluding collective agreements" with a union chosen by bosses.

Strikes now possible - even indefinitely

With the conclusion of the strike ballots, unlimited strikes are now possible on Discover Airlines flights.

The airline operates 27 aircraft from Munich and Frankfurt to holiday destinations in Europe and overseas.

According to the company, the fleet is set to grow to 33 aircraft by mid-2027.

The unions have not given details of the industrial action for tactical reasons. The only thing that is currently clear is that pilots and flight attendants want to coordinate their actions. 

It comes after a wave of strikes - including in the airline sector - caused major disruption earlier this year in Germany. Pilots at Discover Airlines were called out on strike then.