German flag-carrier Lufthansa has been forced to cancel more than 500 flights today as staff take industrial action over pay and conditions.

Staff are staging walk-outs at Frankfurt, Munich, Dusseldorf, Berlin, Hamburg and Cologne airports and other locations between 05:00 and 12:00 today.

Lufthansa has cancelled most of its domestic and short-haul flights during this time.

However, long-haul flights are expected to operate as normal.

The Verdi union is calling for a 5.2 per cent increase in wages for employees at several Lufthansa divisions.