German carrier Lufthansa is cancelling another 2,000 flights between now and the end of August due to staff shortage, a company spokesman said on Wednesday.

These targeted cancellations are at Lufthansa’s Frankfurt and Munich hubs.

The company says it is the third time the carrier has announced flight cancellations this summer.

It added that the airline initially cancelled more than 3,000 flights for the months of July and August and then

cancelled another 770 connections for the week up to and including July 14.

The spokesperson said ground services at the Frankfurt and Munich hubs in the afternoons and evenings are

overloaded and aircraft have to wait, and luggage left behind.

He said many staff were laid off during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to staff shortage.

He, however, added that flights to holiday destinations would only be cancelled in exceptional cases.