Against the backdrop of thousands of striking cabin crew and ground staff, German flag-carrier airline Lufthansa has been crowned Europe’s Leading Airline for 2024 at the World Travel Awards.

Lufthansa crowned Europe’s leading airline

Lufthansa has been named Europe’s leading airline and leading airline brand at the World Travel Awards for 2024. The German company beat out other nominees including Air France, British Airways and Iberia. 

2024 marks the 12th time that Lufthansa has been crowned the leading airline on the continent since the World Travel Awards began in 1993. Awards are given based on votes cast by consumers and executives working in travel and tourism, a vote from the latter groups counts as two votes.

Despite the title, the awards organisation gave little information about why voters had chosen Lufthansa as the winner. The airline was handed its award at the Europe Gala Ceremony held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Berlin on March 6, 2024.

More Lufthansa employees join industrial action

As Lufthansa enjoys its new title, an increasing number of the company’s employees are joining strike action at airports across the country.

In the latest round of strikes, Germany’s Independent Cabin Crew Organisation (UFO) union called on cabin crew to walk out on March 12 and 13. Around 20.000 employees joined the walkout, which was planned ahead of the union reentering negotiations with Lufthansa, demanding a 15 percent pay rise for cabin crew.

Lufthansa ground staff are also carrying out ongoing strike action, with their third walkout in four weeks taking place the day after the airline was named Europe’s Leading Airline. Ver.di is demanding a 12,5 percent increase in pay for ground staff, many of whom, according to union spokesperson Marvin Reschinsky, currently earn 13 or little more than 13 euros per hour.

Bringing a third note to the disharmony, on March 7 Lufthansa announced that it made a profit of 2,7 billion euros in 2023, the “third-best financial result in the history of the Lufthansa Group”.

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