Pilots at Lufthansa, one of Europe’s largest airlines, are set to strike in a row over job security and pay. The strike is also expected to affect both Lufthansa’s cargo operations and its low-cost subsidiary Germanwings. More than 90 percent of the union representing Lufthansa pilots voted in favor of the action, which will involve the airline’s 4,500 flight deck members.

The four-day action, scheduled to begin on February 22, looks set to cause disruption for tens of thousands of Lufthansa passengers around the world.

The airline is bracing itself for massive delays and flight cancellations, similar to the disruptions experienced when a four-month strike crippled the fleet in 2001.

Lufthansa spokesperson Andreas Bartels told Deutsche Welle that the airline was already making preparation for the strike.

“We of course informed our customers, and on the domestic routes we offer them tickets for the railways, and re-booking on other airlines,” said Bartels.

Lufthansa also plans to reorganize passengers from several smaller flights onto larger aircraft.

The strike promises to be among the most severe in recent German history, but pilots argue it is necessary to protect jobs in Germany.

(Source: http://www.dw-world.de/)