Lufthansa will have to cancel 930 flights today after cabin crews continued what is shaping up to be the longest strike in the German airline’s history, even after a court ruled it must stop its walkout at one airport.

Flight attendants started striking last Friday over early retirement benefits and pensions and the cabin crew union raised the pressure yesterday by calling for walkouts on short- and long-haul flights at Frankfurt, Duesseldorf and Munich airports from 0300 GMT today through to 2300 GMT on Friday.

Lufthansa said in a statement it would have to cancel 930 flights to and from the three airports, affecting about 100,000 passengers, adding that management was ready to talk to the union but only if they first end the strike.

Lufthansa filed for temporary injunctions at labour courts in Darmstadt and Duesseldorf after four days of strikes resulted in more than 1,800 flights being cancelled and left hundreds of thousands of passengers stranded.

The court in Duesseldorf halted yesterday’s strike for crews at Duesseldorf airport, ruling that the strike was illegal because the union had not clearly defined its aims and demands.

The airline is negotiating with various staff groups as it tries to bring costs down to compete with budget rivals and Gulf carriers and has been hit by strikes as a result, with the cabin crew protests coming after walkouts by pilots.

“As management we are forced to explore our legal options, but I would rather find a solution at the negotiating table,” said Chief Executive Officer Carsten Spoh.

Lufthansa said the union had offered to end the strike and enter into mediation earlier yesterday but had later announced it would continue its strike. The union, which represents 19,000 flight attendants, said it was open for talks but would not first call off strike action.