FRANKFURT (dpa-AFX) - Passengers could still feel the consequences of the warning strikes in air traffic when traveling to Easter vacations, according to estimates by the air traffic industry. "The ongoing chain of so-called warning strikes at more and more new locations at our airports is affecting the entire airline business even where there are no collective bargaining negotiations at all," criticized Jost Lammers, president of the German Air Transport Association (BDL). "This will make intensive preparations for the upcoming Easter travel massively more difficult."

Those who will suffer are the travelers, but also the airlines, who are once again committed to smooth flight operations after the Corona restrictions, Lammers said.

The Easter holidays are among the periods with particularly high passenger volumes at airports. Germany's largest airport, Frankfurt, has announced reduced capacity in aircraft movements for the upcoming vacation season. Last year, Frankfurt, like many other German airports, experienced significant handling problems, including a shortage of staff. Thousands of suitcases were left behind and had to be forwarded to passengers.

The rail and transport union and Verdi had announced on Thursday a full-day major strike for Monday, which is to hit long-distance, regional and suburban rail services as well as air traffic at the same time. In this way, they want to increase the pressure in the ongoing collective bargaining rounds in the public sector and the railroad sector. Verdi called for warning strikes at almost all commercial airports except Berlin. The airport association ADV expects that around 380,000 passengers will be affected. In recent weeks, Verdi had already repeatedly paralyzed air traffic with warning strikes at airports./als/DP/zb