FRANKFURT, Germany, April 15, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Wednesday praised "the strategic importance" of Lufthansa as the German airline giant marked its centenary, but the celebrations were marred by a wave of recent strikes.

"Lufthansa provides technical and logistical support for the German government fleet," Merz said at Frankfurt Airport.

"It also modifies and maintains the armed forces' transport, reconnaissance and refueling aircraft. The civilian know-how of your company strengthens our country's ability to defend itself".

The hundredth anniversary of Europe's biggest aviation group -- which also operates Eurowings, Austrian, Swiss and Brussels Airlines and has acquired a stake in Italy's ITA -- comes as thousands of flights have been cancelled in a wave of strikes this year.

Both pilots and cabin crew have repeatedly walked out due to disputes over pay and pensions.

The first strike of the year began in February, with almost 800 flights cancelled on a single day affecting about 100,000 passengers as pilots and cabin crew walked out.

Pilots from the main airline as well as some subsidiaries are set to strike again on Thursday and Friday, having already stopped work earlier in the week.

An AFP photographer saw hundreds of people dressed in yellow vests that carry the logos of the cabin crew and pilot unions protesting outside the event.

Unions accuse Lufthansa of refusing to put good revised offers on the table, while the group has accused the unions of "absurd" behaviour.

Opening the celebrations with a speech, the head of Lufthansa's supervisory board Karl-Ludwig Kley called on Merz to make it harder for workers to go on strike.

If the government did not take action to tighten laws on walkouts, the situation could "develop into an even bigger competitive disadvantage for our country," he warned.

Citing a letter to employees, the Handelsblatt newspaper reported Wednesday that Lufthansa had warned of the need to cut costs and was limiting hiring in response to the Middle East war.