Strike-hit Lufthansa cuts flights

5,000 Verdi members have been on strike since Monday

Lufthansa is cutting long-haul flights for the first time since cabin crew and ground staff went on strike on Monday

The German airline plans to cut 78 flights on Wednesday, to destinations including Calcutta, Calgary, Chicago and New York.

About 5,000 members of the Verdi trade union are on an indefinite strike in a dispute over pay.

Lufthansa also said net profit for the April to June period had fallen 21% to 345m euros ($538m; �272m).

However, the results for the same quarter in 2007 were helped by the sale of a stake in travel company Thomas Cook.

On Tuesday, Lufthansa predicted that its full-year profits would be the same as last year, despite rising fuel costs.

Pay row

Lufthansa usually runs about 2,000 flights a day.

On Tuesday, 70 short-haul flights were cut mainly because there were not enough ground staff to prepare them.

The Verdi union is seeking a pay rise of 9.8%, while the airline is offering 6.7% over 21 months and a one-off payment.

The union has said the strike is set to cost Lufthansa 5m euros a day.