Pilots at Lufthansa have suspended their four-day strike against the airline, a move that stranded thousands of flyers. British Airways cabin crews have just voted to strike, though no date has been announced, and American Airlines is trying to avert a strike by its ground workers who are asking to be released by mediators in order to start a strike countdown of their own. Oh, did we mention the strike by air traffic controllers in Paris? Welcome to another week in the airline industry.

The strike against Lufthansa was suspended late Monday (22 February) so that the two sides could continue their negotiations. Courts had stopped a strike against British Airways late last year over voting technicalities, but the Unite union representing cabin crews at the airline has voted to move forward with strike plans but has not set a date. Meanwhile, the Transport Workers Union representing ground workers at American Airlines is set to ask federal mediators to let the employees walk away from contract talks if there is no deal by 8 March. This also happens to be the last day of relative peace between Lufthansa and its pilots, as the union could resume its walkout beginning 9 March.

French air traffic controllers are planning a four-day strike starting 23 February over objections to certain plans to integrate European air traffic control. The French Aviation authority has ordered airlines to cancel 50 per cent of flights at Orly and 25 per cent at CDG.

If you are affected by a strike, be aware of your airline's policy and have backup plans available. Unfortunately, strikes don't fall under any category that would entitle you to compensation so you have to rely on the airline's goodwill. Make sure you get in touch with your airline before you depart and that you understand what the airline intends to do for you. This includes any code-share flights that may have been ticketed by one airline partner but is actually operated by an affected airline. For instance, United and Lufthansa are code-share partners. If your ticket says United but your flight is being operated by Lufthansa, you are ultimately affected by any walkout at Lufthansa.

All this strike talk makes you want to take the train, doesn't it? Well, since we're on the subject, here's some encouraging news from the Associated Press: A Eurostar Paris-to London train, meanwhile, inexplicably broke down in southern England late Sunday, plunging more than 700 passengers into darkness and forcing them to climb down ladders onto the track to a replacement train. And who said travel isn't fun?