Lufthansa Has a Surplus of 11,000 Jobs in Germany, Eyes Cuts

Frankfurt (dpa) - Crisis-hit airline Lufthansa has a surplus of some 11,000 jobs in Germany alone, the carrier said Monday.

Last week, Lufthansa said the company estimates a surplus of 22,000 full-time positions worldwide. Trade unions said that number could be as high as 26,000.

The company's chief officer for human resources, Michael Niggemann, said the airline wants to secure more than 100,000 jobs long-term, but that it will require "painful restructuring."

The group, which racked up billions in losses in the first quarter, employs around 138,000 people.

A travel industry body estimated the airline owes German passengers 4 billion euros in refunds for flights cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Cancellations are currently not being processed by airlines and therefore cannot be paid back to customers, a spokeswoman for the German Travel Association (DRV) told the Bild newspaper (Tuesday).

Lufthansa Chief Executive Carsten Spohr had apologized to customers for the delay over a week ago.

Resources have now been increased significantly to speed up the process, according to the Bild report.

The coronavirus pandemic and resulting travel restrictions had almost brought Lufthansa business to a standstill, with the exception of freight.

Spohr wants to present a strategy to cut costs at the company's annual general meeting.

At the meeting on June 25, shareholders still have to give the green light for a state rescue package.

In return for a 9-billion-euro (10.25-billion-dollar) rescue package, including federal participation in the company, Lufthansa must hand over 24 of its take-off and landing rights to the competition at its important airports in Frankfurt and Munich.

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