Passenger air traffic at Berlin’s international airport came to a standstill on Wednesday after ground staff went on a one-day strike over an ongoing pay dispute.
Around 445 departures and arrivals, involving a total of 57,000 passengers, were suspended due to the industrial action that began in the early morning, the trade union Verdi said.
Operations are to remain affected until midnight (2300 GMT).
Terminals were largely empty on Wednesday after airlines had rebooked affected passengers onto other flights and offered alternative travel options, a spokeswoman for the operator said.
Verdi, one of Europe’s biggest trade unions, is negotiating with the operator of Berlin-Brandenburg Airport, FBB, seeking a salary increase of 6% or at least €250 ($287) for its 2,000 employees under a new collective agreement set to run for 12 months.
The union has also been pushing for an additional day off for union members.
During the second round of talks last week, employer representatives presented an initial offer that Verdi said did not go far enough.
FBB head Aletta von Massenbach has called the industrial action disproportionate “especially in the already very tense situation due to the war in Iran.”
US and Israeli attacks on Iran launched on February 28 and Tehran’s retaliatory strikes have disrupted air traffic in The Gulf region, a major transit hub for global flights.
She expressed confidence that an agreement would be reached at the next round of negotiations scheduled for March 25.
The 2,000 workers called on to strike do not include ground handling services or security, which are carried out by external service providers.
However, it was considered impossible to maintain flight operations as firefighters, air-traffic control and terminal management workers joined the industrial action.
Operations are expected to return to normal on Thursday, with the operator anticipating an increase in passenger numbers due to rebookings.
