Lufthansa Severance Pay: 4,000 Jobs to Go by 2030
On 29 September 2025, Lufthansa Group announced it would cut around 4,000 administrative jobs by 2030, mainly in Germany (sources: ZDFheute, Handelsblatt). A further 1,500 full-time positions are to be relocated to other group locations abroad. The cuts are to be achieved through digitalisation, automation and more efficient processes.
Reviewed by specialized labor lawyers · Updated: September 2026
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Job cuts at Lufthansa: what's happening right now?
On 29 September 2025, Lufthansa Group confirmed it will cut around 4,000 administrative jobs by 2030, mainly in Germany (ZDFheute; Handelsblatt). According to the group, the cuts are to be achieved through digitalisation, automation and more efficient processes. A further 1,500 full-time positions will also be relocated to other group locations abroad, meaning the Frankfurt headquarters is disproportionately affected.
4,000 administrative jobs by 2030, and what it means for you
Administration, IT and central functions are hit hardest. Lufthansa has launched a voluntary redundancy programme for the core brand and central group functions (initially around 550 full-time positions), partly involving termination agreements and paid leave of absence (aero.de). For employees, such voluntary offers are often the financially most attractive option, but only if the amount, deadlines and tax are right. The commonly cited rule-of-thumb formula of 0.5 monthly salaries per year of service is only a reference value for orientation, not a statutory entitlement.
Your rights: social plan, deadlines and tax
With cuts of this scale, a reconciliation of interests and social plan under §§ 111, 112 BetrVG will typically apply. An agreed social plan claim is directly enforceable (§ 112 (4) BetrVG: the social plan can be enforced via the conciliation committee and takes effect like a works agreement). Separate from this is the compensation for disadvantages under § 113 BetrVG: it applies if the employer implements a business change without having attempted a reconciliation of interests with the works council (Betriebsrat), or deviates from an agreed reconciliation of interests without compelling reason. If you receive a dismissal for operational reasons, you only have 3 weeks to file an unfair dismissal claim (§ 4 KSchG); this deadline is strict and determines your negotiating position. And: a termination agreement can trigger a benefit suspension period for unemployment benefit (§ 159 SGB III) or suspend your claim (§ 158 SGB III). For larger packages, the one-fifth rule and the timing of payment also determine the net amount.
Received a Lufthansa offer? Check it before you sign
Check the following: the amount against the social plan and the rule-of-thumb reference value, the benefit suspension period risk for unemployment benefit, the notice period (§ 158 SGB III), waiver and settlement clauses (bonuses, holiday, company pension) and tax (the one-fifth rule, timing of payment). Upload your document, the critical points will be flagged, at no upfront cost.
How it works with us
A no-cost initial consultation, an assessment of your offer by our specialist partner law firm, and if you engage us, negotiation funded through litigation funding, with no upfront cost risk for you. Here's how our cost model works.
Note: Team Abfindung is an independent provider and has no connection to Deutsche Lufthansa AG. Any brand and company names mentioned are used solely to describe the facts of the matter.
Frequently asked questions
On 29 September 2025, Lufthansa Group announced it would cut around 4,000 administrative jobs by 2030, mainly in Germany (sources: ZDFheute, Handelsblatt). A further 1,500 full-time positions are to be relocated to other group locations abroad. The cuts are to be achieved through digitalisation, automation and more efficient processes.
There's no fixed formula: the amount depends on the specific programme, the social plan (Sozialplan) and your individual negotiation. As a rough reference value, the rule-of-thumb formula of 0.5 gross monthly salaries per year of service is often used, but this doesn't create a legal entitlement to exactly that amount. Voluntary redundancy and termination agreement offers regularly allow for more. We'll work through your specific offer with you.
This is a calculation, not a gut decision. You need to check the amount against the social plan and the rule-of-thumb formula, the benefit suspension period (Sperrzeit) risk for unemployment benefit (§ 159 SGB III), the suspension of your claim if the termination date is too early (§ 158 SGB III), waiver and settlement clauses, and tax (the one-fifth rule, timing of payment). We assess exactly this in your no-cost initial consultation.
Where a reconciliation of interests and social plan under §§ 111, 112 BetrVG apply, an employer usually first tries to achieve cuts through voluntary redundancy, natural staff turnover and partial retirement schemes. If it does come to a dismissal for operational reasons, it must be measured against the social selection criteria (Sozialauswahl) and the possibility of continued employment. You only have 3 weeks to file an unfair dismissal claim (Kündigungsschutzklage) against a dismissal (§ 4 KSchG); this deadline is strict.
A termination agreement can trigger a 12-week benefit suspension period (§ 159 SGB III) if no good cause is documented. If your employment ends before the statutory notice period expires, your claim can additionally be suspended (§ 158 SGB III). Both can be managed through how the agreement is worded, which is why an offer should be reviewed before you sign.
The initial consultation is at no upfront cost. If you engage us, we work on a success basis through litigation funding, so you carry no upfront cost risk.
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