Air Malta has stepped in to fly to Frankfurt today after German airline Lufthansa was forced to cancel over 500 flights due to a strike over wages.

Some 33,000 Lufthansa employees are expected to obey a walkout today ordered by the Verdi union, which represents them, over a row with the airline on wages and conditions. Verdi is asking for a 5.2 per cent increase in wages for employees at several Lufthansa divisions.

An Air Malta spokesman confirmed the airline will be flying to Frankfurt today on the request of Lufthansa, which would not be able to operate the flight because of the strike.

“We received a request from Lufthansa and we will be operating the two flights,” he said.

Flight KM3328 will leave Malta at 12.25pm, arriving in Frankfurt at 2.45pm. The return flight, KM 3329, will leave Frankfurt at 3.45pm, arriving in Malta at 6.55pm.

Lufthansa is resisting requests for higher wages as it is one of many European airlines trying to cut costs in the face of soaring jet fuel prices and increased competition from Middle Eastern and low-cost airlines.

Lufthansa, which is Europe’s biggest airline by revenue, wants to freeze wages and increase working hours by one hour per week.

Hamburg and Frankfurt will be the airports most affected by today’s action.

Lufthansa cancelled 514 flights in all, mostly to German and European destinations, but most intercontinental flights should be unaffected, the airline said yesterday.