EXPLAINED: How passengers will be affected by German airport strikes on Monday

Air travel passengers should expect major disruptions at German airports on Monday as a major workers' union has called a strike for ground personnel.

The Verdi union said Friday it was calling on public sector workers and some 23,000 employees of ground handling service to go on an all-day warning strike on March 10th.

Airports in Frankfurt and Berlin as well as hubs in Bremen, Cologne, Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Hanover, Leipzig, Munich and Stuttgart are all expected to be affected.

Hamburg airport was hit by a surprise early strike on Sunday, with the Verdi union bringing the warning strike forward by one day and paralysing air traffic.

The airport was closed with no departures or arrivals all day.

READ ALSO: Flights cancelled as German airport strike brought forward in Hamburg

The German airport association (ADV) has reported that more than 3,400 flights are expected to be cancelled in Germany and around 510,000 passengers will not be able to start their trips as planned.

Monday's industrial action is the latest in a series of airport strikes - as well as other service industry strikes - that have ramped up since the beginning of the year. Verdi is attempting to ramp up pressure on employers as it negotiates a deal for better pay and conditions in the public sector. 

READ ALSO: German airports to be hit by labour strike on Monday

How will passengers be affected?

The 24-hour strike began just after midnight on Monday morning and will continue until the start of working shifts on Tuesday.

Strike times may differ somewhat between airports: The strikes at the Cologne/Bonn and Leipzig/Halle airports were scheduled to begin at 5am, and at Düsseldorf at 2am. 

"There will be massive restrictions on departures and arrivals, including flight cancellations," Verdi said in a statement on Friday.

Therefore passengers should check the status of their flight before heading to the airport on Monday. For flights that are not cancelled, passengers may want to plan in some additional cushion time, as there could be delays for check-ins or at airport security.

Here's what we know, as of Friday, about how airports will likely be affected.

Frankfurt Airport: 'Passengers should not come'

Germany's busiest airport looks set to be heavily affected by the strike on Monday.

According to Fraport, the operator of Frankfurt Airport, all tasks that enable full flight operations will be suspended during the strike.

According to German media reports on Friday, Fraport has already warned passengers with flights departing from Frankfurt Airport on Monday to stay home: "It will not be possible to start the journey in Frankfurt." 

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Passengers with a transfer in Frankfurt should also check their flight's status on the airline's website before departing.

According to Fraport, about 1,170 flights with more than 150,000 passengers were planned for Monday.

Munich Airport expects considerable restrictions

Munich Airport was hit by strikes just a week ago which saw around 80 percent of scheduled flights cancelled.

A Munich Airport spokesperson told Merkur newspaper that passengers can expect similar disruptions this time around.

"It seems as if the same participants will lay down their work again," the spokesperson said. 

He added: "We are not closing the airport, it is open. But it is usually very quiet on strike days."

A total of 820 connections are planned for Monday, but the majority can be expected to be cancelled.

Berlin to see 'no flight operations' during the strike

"All scheduled departures and arrivals will be affected... and therefore cannot take place," read a statement by the Berlin Brandenburg Airport shared by the city's VIZ Traffic Information Centre.

Passengers are advised to check with their airline or tour operator about rebooking and alternative travel options.

Flights to and from Berlin are scheduled to resume as usual with the start of operations on Tuesday morning.

Flights also affected at smaller German airports

The strikes are also set to impact travel to and from several of Germany's regional airports including in Bremen, Cologne, Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Hanover, Leipzig and Stuttgart.

In some cases smaller airports prove to be more adept at maintaining services through strikes. For instance, during last week's strikes which took place at both Munich and Hamburg airports, Munich saw significantly more cancellations than Hamburg.

Regional flights with stopovers in Berlin, Munich or Frankfurt may be affected as well.

However, passengers flying to or from any of the affected airports should check the status of their flight before heading to the airport, and also plan for potential delays with baggage check-ins or security.

Note than no evening check-in is are possible for Tuesday's flights.

READ ALSO: How train travellers in Germany can get cheap Deutsche Bahn tickets this March

What passengers should know

When flights are affected by strikes, passengers are often entitled to various forms of compensation.

According to EU Air Passenger Rights rules, passengers may be entitled to between €250 and €600 when flights are delayed more than three hours or cancelled due to strikes. 

When flights are delayed five hours or cancelled, passengers can request a full refund and do not have to accept vouchers.

Airlines also have to offer alternative transportation in some cases, such as by train or bus or reimbursement of costs. If passengers are stuck in the airport for multiple hours, airlines must provide food (often in the form of meal vouchers), and for overnight stays airlines must cover the hotel costs.

READ ALSO: What are your rights in Germany if a flight is delayed or cancelled?

Airlines are familiar with these rules, and will typically compensate passengers when needed. Check with your airline or tour operator as a first step if your flight is cancelled or seriously delayed.

If you feel you have not been compensated fairly, you can try tools like ADAC’s flight compensation calculator to get a sense of what you might be owed. Note that the tool only allows you to enter flights that are scheduled for today or past dates.