Eurowings pilots kick off day-long strike

Pilots from the Eurowings airline launched a full-day strike on Thursday to push for shorter working hours and longer rest times, reported dpa.

The industrial action started as planned, a spokesman for the Vereinigung Cockpit pilots' union confirmed.

Eurowings, a subsidiary of German carrier Lufthansa, expects around half of its flights to be cancelled.

Eurowings operates around 500 flights a day with around 50,000 to 70,000, the low-cost airline focuses on short-haul European destinations.

The strike was called after talks on a collective labour agreement at the low-cost carrier broke down.

The union wants a reduction in maximum flight duty times and seeks more rest time for pilots.

Eurowings criticized the announced strike as disproportionate and irresponsible.

Passengers were asked to check their flight status on the Eurowings website or app.