Lufthansa pilots threaten strike

FRANKFURT, Germany, Sept. 25 (UPI) -- Pilots of Deutsche Lufthansa, Europe's largest airline, said Thursday a new round of strikes was imminent.

The carrier and Vereinigung Cockpit, the pilots' union, have been in discussions over retirement benefits for over two years, and the union announced the latest breakdown in negotiations will lead to job actions.

"Cockpit regrets that negotiations have failed once again. Further labor action can be expected with immediate effect. The public will be notified in advance," a statement from the union Thursday said.

Lufthansa pilots staged one-day walkouts three times in recent weeks.

The dispute centers on changes in retirement benefits as they relate to changes in mandatory retirement ages. Lufthansa pilots can now retire at age 55, contrasting with European laws allowing pilots to fly until age 65. The airline has said it must increase the retirement age to cut costs and remain competitive.

The union's announcement came the same day KLM-Air France suspended expansion of its low-cost Transavia airline. The company's plans led to a 10-day strike of Air France pilots, which cost the airline up to $25 million per day.