Lufthansa pilots say they will be staying on strike until the end of the three-day stoppage.

Day two of the strike over retirement arrangements has seen about 700 flights cancelled at Frankfurt, Europe’s third-largest passenger hub.

Altogether 3,800 flights are being grounded, that is nine out of ten during the strike period.

The pilots want Lufthansa to reinstate a scheme allowing them to retire early and still receive a significant proportion of their pay.

The airline says there is no need for the plan as the law now allows pilots to fly until they are older, reflecting longer life expectancies.

The check-in desks have been re-named “re-booking desks”.

Free drinks and snacks are available for passengers still persevering, but in fact many have already booked onto other airlines, gone by train or made other arrangements.

With little prospect of an early end to the strike, Lufthansa is aiming for a return to normal service on Saturday.