150,000 passengers affected as Lufthansa pilots strike

Pilots at German airline Lufthansa have extended their two-day strike to long-haul flights in an ongoing dispute over retirement benefits.

The airline, Germany's biggest, said a total of 1,350 of its 2,800 flights scheduled until the strike ends at midnight have been cancelled, affecting 150,000 passengers.

Yesterday, the strike was primarily focused on inner-Europe flights. Lufthansa said some of its cargo flights were rescheduled, but none had to be cancelled.

Lufthansa said the other airlines in its group - Germanwings, Swiss, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and Air Dolomiti - are not affected.

The strike follows failed talks with the Vereinigung Cockpit union, which is demanding Lufthansa keep paying a transition payment for those wanting to retire early.

The airline wants to cut those payments, citing increasingly tough competition.