According to the Verdi union, the announced warning strike has begun at Cologne/Bonn Airport. Aviation security employees were the first to stop working, said a Verdi spokesman late on Sunday evening. "All checkpoints are closed."

Trucks bring freight to and from the airport through the gates - when the checkpoints are manned. The warning strike is expected to last until Tuesday night. It affects different areas at the airport at different starting points.

The background to this is the negotiations for employees in the public sector at the federal and municipal level, as well as the nationwide negotiations for employees in aviation security. Collective bargaining is currently being conducted for both groups of employees.

Warning strikes also in Düsseldorf

A warning strike is also planned at Düsseldorf Airport. It is scheduled to start early Monday morning. Both airports are expecting major disruptions with a number of canceled flights. In Cologne, almost all planned passenger flights are likely to be cancelled. In Düsseldorf, it was assumed that almost 200 take-offs and landings would be canceled – with 330 flight movements originally planned for Monday.

Passengers are asked to inquire with their airline or tour operator before arrival whether and how their flights will be affected by the warning strikes.

In addition to the two largest airports in the most populous federal state, there should also be warning strikes in many other areas of public life in NRW on Monday, such as on buses and light rail, in daycare centers and offices. Several rallies are also planned.