BERLIN, April 15 (Xinhua) -- Lufthansa marked its 100th anniversary on Wednesday as a new two-day cabin crew strike began, overshadowing celebrations at Frankfurt Airport and leading to hundreds of flight cancellations.

The walkout, called by the flight attendants' union UFO, is due to be held on Wednesday and Thursday. It followed a separate two-day pilots' strike by the German pilot trade union Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) on Monday and Tuesday, which disrupted large parts of Lufthansa's operations. On Tuesday, VC announced fresh strikes for Thursday and Friday.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder are among those expected to attend the anniversary event at Lufthansa's new visitor center in Frankfurt.

UFO said the cabin crew walkout is aimed at securing better working conditions as part of a broader labor dispute. VC, meanwhile, is seeking better pay and higher occupational pensions.

Lufthansa has now faced five waves of strikes by pilots and cabin crew this year, with three called by VC and two by UFO. ■