Air Berlin cancels 100 flights as pilots call in sick

Insolvent German airline Air Berlin said around 100 flight cancellations caused on Tuesday (September 12) by large numbers of pilots calling in sick were threatening its existence and hurting its chances of saving jobs as it seeks investors for parts of the business.

The airline said around 200 pilots, mainly captains, had called in sick as hundreds of stranded passengers crowded the departures terminal at Berlin's Tegel airport.

While some took it with humour, others were raging with anger, saying the pilots should just "do their job."

Union Vereinigung Cockpit said in a statement it was surprised by the absences and that it had not called on its members to call in sick.