Lufthansa shareholders to vote on German rescue package

Germany's Lufthansa is seeking shareholders' support at an extraordinary general meeting Thursday for a 9 billion-euro (USD 10.2 billion) rescue package that would see a government stabilisation fund take a 20 per cent stake. The company, which also owns other airlines including Austrian Airlines and Swiss, appeared on course to get the deal approved after major shareholder Heinz-Hermann Thiele told the daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung that he would vote for it.

Thiele had previously raised questions over his approval, prompting the company last week to warn that the package could be in danger and to plead with all shareholders to exercise their voting rights. Hours before the meeting, Lufthansa and the UFO union, which represents cabin crew, said they had agreed on a deal that will allow the company to save more than 500 million euros (USD 554 million) through the end of 2023.

UFO said it includes a four-year protection against layoffs for cabin crew.

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