Lufthansa 100th Birthday Bash Leaves Little Room for Cheers

Deutsche Lufthansa AG’s 100th anniversary bash this week had all the elements of a picture-perfect party. The sun was out, flight attendants in polished vintage uniforms greeted guests, and Chief Executive Officer Carsten Spohr beamed on stage with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

But overshadowing the mood was one of the most disruptive labor disputes the German carrier has suffered in a decade, with waves of back-to-back strikes from pilots and cabin crew crashing down on the company. Just a short distance from Spohr’s party, workers were protesting, their chants competing for attention with the music blaring at the centennial event. Many flights to the Frankfurt hub were canceled, sabotaging plans for some guests to attend.