A strike by Lufthansa group cabin crew, called by the UFO union, has led to the cancellation of hundreds of flights in Germany as many travellers return from Easter holidays. The strike, which officially affects Lufthansa departures from Frankfurt and Munich and Lufthansa CityLine flights from Berlin and other airports, began at 00:01 local time and is set to end at 22:00. The airport association ADV expects over 520 cancellations, though Frankfurt airport operator reports 570 cancellations alone. Lufthansa board member Michael Niggemann criticised the strike as irresponsible given current geopolitical and economic challenges. The airline has implemented an extraordinary flight plan using unaffected subsidiaries to mitigate the impact. The strike follows a 94% vote in favour by union members after collective bargaining negotiations failed. Lufthansa remains one of two bidders for the Portuguese airline TAP, alongside Air France-KLM.