A passenger blocks the way of protesting members of the Verdi trade union during a warning strike by ground services, security inspection and check-in staff at Tegel airport in Berlin on Friday. (Reuters photo)BERLIN: Tens of thousands of passengers were stranded in Berlin on Friday as a strike by ground staff led to the cancellation of nearly 700 flights operated by airlines including Air Berlin, Ryanair and Lufthansa. Berlin Airport, which operates Tegel and Schoenefeld airports, said almost all flights from the German capital had been grounded, with 466 flights cancelled at Tegel and 204 at Schoenefeld as of 0900 GMT (4pm Thailand time). Air Berlin said it had cancelled 202 flights, with only long-haul routes and flights to and from Duesseldorf still operating. German flagship Lufthansa said it had had to cancel 68 flights between Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich, affecting about 10,000 passengers, who could rebook or cancel for free.

Source: Bangkok Post March 10, 2017 11:37 UTC