Employees
Human resources management prepares the Company for the future and creates prospects for employees
The Lufthansa Group’s employees play an indispensable role in its success. In the 2024 financial year, human resources management was once again a key pillar on which the future of the Lufthansa Group will be built. The Company’s corporate culture remains of key significance. Alongside financial success, the commitment and well-being of the Company’s workforce are main priorities in this regard. The Lufthansa Group aims to further enhance its corporate culture with its current Cultural Journey programme and to meet the changing requirements of society, its workforce and its shareholders. This cultural programme plays a key role here, by bringing together values such as diversity, respect and individual development opportunities.
The Company-wide employee survey “involve me!” helps to identify strategic areas of action in a targeted manner and to integrate these within the Group’s HR strategy. The Lufthansa Group pursues a comprehensive approach which ensures equal opportunity, promotion of diversity, professional training and a work-life balance. The Company therefore not only supports flexible career paths but also strives to achieve a partnership-based and transparent corporate culture that supports its goal of being an attractive employer while promoting and retaining talent on a long-term basis. ↗ Combined non-financial declaration.
Number of employees back above 100,000 in the reporting year
At year-end 2024, the Lufthansa Group had 101,709 employees worldwide (previous year: 96,677). Accordingly, the number of employees rose by 5,032, or 5%, in the reporting year, despite the loss of around 1,250 employees due to the sale of the payment specialist AirPlus. This increase is mainly attributable to successful recruitment measures in operational areas in particular. The number of employees was 36,644 or 26% lower than before the crisis (31 December 2019: 138,353).
Translated into full-time positions, the Group had 84,215 employees at the end of 2024 (previous year: 80,583). This represents a year-on-year increase of 3,632 or 5%.
In Germany, the Group had 66,336 employees: 3,160, or 5%, more than in the previous year (previous year: 63,176). The increase was driven by extensive recruitment. The Group’s employees in Germany account for 65% of its overall workforce (previous year: 65%). The number of employees outside Germany increased by 1,872 or 6% to 35,373 (previous year: 33,501).
As of the reporting date, the average age of the workforce was 42.1 years (previous year: 42.6 years). Average seniority was 13.7 years (previous year: 14.2 years). 35% of employees worked part-time in the reporting year (previous year: 35%). The fluctuation rate decreased to 6% (previous year: 7%).
At year-end, 1,860 apprentices were in training for around 30 occupations and various combined degree courses offered by the Lufthansa Group worldwide (previous year: 1,640).
Targeted recruitment measures are planned for the 2025 financial year to attract qualified and motivated employees with the right skills and abilities. Recruitment in administrative areas has been partially frozen, while the Group aims to continue to increase the number of personnel in operational and technical fields.
Important agreements signed with collective bargaining partners
In the 2024 financial year, the Lufthansa Group, represented by the relevant industry associations or its subsidiaries, reached a large number of new pay settlements with its collective bargaining partners. ↗ Opportunities and risk report, Human resources.
In March 2024, the Air Transport Employers' Federation (AGVL) and the trade union Vereinigte Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft (ver.di) signed a new wage agreement for around 20,000 ground staff in Germany, including employees at Deutsche Lufthansa AG, Lufthansa Technik AG and Lufthansa Cargo AG. The wage agreement involves an average wage increase of up to 12.5% in two phases. It also includes an inflation bonus and further holiday bonus benefits as well as a special package for apprentices.
In April 2024, AGVL and the cabin staff union Unabhängige Flugbegleiter Organisation e.V. (UFO) signed a wage agreement for the approximately 19,000 cabin crew at Lufthansa Airlines. The agreement includes a gradual increase in salaries of 16.5% in total and the payment of an inflation bonus. Alongside other aspects, such as an increase in allowances, increased holiday pay has also been agreed. This wage agreement has a minimum term of three years, thereby facilitating the strategic planning of staff costs. UFO terminated the applicable framework agreement as of the end of 2024. Negotiations on working conditions for cabin crew are therefore likely to take place from 2025 onwards.
In August 2024, Discover Airlines concluded a framework and wage agreement with ver.di for its entire cabin crew. These agreements cannot be terminated until 31 December 2027 at the earliest. As well as a substantial adjustment to salary structures, they also include a robust agreement on work and employment conditions for employees. An agreement on conflict resolution mechanisms such as mediation and arbitration formed another core aspect of this first wage agreement.
A new collective agreement was signed for the pilots at Edelweiss, which came into effect on 1 January 2025.
In April 2024, Austrian Airlines and the trade union vida signed a new collective agreement for around 2,400 flight attendants and roughly 1,000 pilots. The collective agreement envisages a gradual salary increase of around 19.4% in three phases and runs until December 2026. A wage settlement has also been reached for commercial and technical staff. As well as a gradual wage increase, the agreement also includes payment of an inflation bonus. Remuneration for apprentices will also be adjusted from January 2025.
A new wage agreement running until the end of 2026 was signed for the pilots at Brussels Airlines. The agreement provides for salary increases of 3.1% on average over its term. A new wage settlement was also reached for cabin crew until the end of 2026. The agreement provides for salary increases of 1.6% on average.
A new collective wage agreement was signed with the VC trade union for the pilots at Eurowings GmbH in July 2024. It runs for three years and provides for salary increases of 17% in total, an inflation bonus and new rules on the additional flying hours bonus. In exchange, the parties have agreed that the automatic inflation bonus will cease to apply. A new collective wage agreement was concluded with the trade union ver.di for cabin crew, which entered into force with retroactive effect as of 1 January 2024. It runs for 19 months and provides for salary adjustments of around 4%, as well as the payment of an inflation bonus. In July 2024, the cornerstones of a new framework agreement were agreed with the trade union ver.di for the ground staff of Eurowings Aviation GmbH. On 16 September 2024, a new collective wage agreement with a term of three years was signed with the trade union ver.di for the ground staff of Eurowings Technik GmbH. Besides a gradual increase in basic salaries of 15.7% in total, this agreement also includes the payment of an inflation bonus as well as higher monthly shift allowances.
Developing a sustainable relationship between collective bargaining partners
Within the scope of its social and collective bargaining policies, the Lufthansa Group aims to define good working conditions and fair salary arrangements which strike a balance between the interests of the companies and employees in every part of the Group. Longer-term agreements establish planning certainty for both parties. The agreements concluded in the reporting year achieved this in some contexts.