The board of directors of Deutsche Lufthansa has attempted to resolve the bargaining disagreement with the Independent Flight Attendant’s Union with a new offer.

The company already offers its 19,000 flight attendants remuneration and employment benefits that are far above industry averages, and are hardly matched in any other airline worldwide, the airline said in a statement earlier.

“In spite of this, since last Friday the UFO union called for its members to go on a continuous strike, something which is irresponsible and at the same time without precedent in Germany.

“The strike is being carried out at the expense of millions of passengers and more than 100,000 Lufthansa Group employees.

“In view of this situation, we are doing everything we can to find a solution and end this strike.

“In the hope that our customers will not suffer any further harm due to the effects of the strike, we have decided to improve our offer yet again.

“At the same time, fleet development until 2017 must be subject to a critical analysis,” said Bettina Volkens, executive board member in charge of human resources at Deutsche Lufthansa.

In order to take up talks with UFO again, the executive board, in an extraordinary meeting yesterday, offered a total remuneration package with an improvement of a total of more than six per cent.

Lufthansa will significantly raise the commitment of a one-time payment to all 19,000 Lufthansa flight attendants from €2,000-€3,000 euros.

The one-time payment would thus be increased by 50 per cent more than the previous offer.

Over and above this, Lufthansa is offering all Lufthansa German Airlines flight attendants a salary increase of 1.7 per cent, effective January 1st, 2016, as well as a salary increase of a further 1.7 effective at the beginning of 2017.

Lufthansa accepts the demands of the UFO with regards to a retirement scheme that begins at age 55.

This shall be applicable without exception to all presently active cabin employees of Lufthansa German Airlines.

This would provide every one of the 19,000 flight attendants in the future with retirement benefits that are unrivalled in the aviation industry.

With this offer package, Lufthansa materially fulfils all essential demands of UFO for all 19,000 cabin employees.

Under the condition that all strike measures are ended immediately, Lufthansa has invited the leadership of UFO to a summit meeting with the chairman of the board of directors.