Lufthansa cabin crew union stages all-day strike at smaller airlines

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - German flight attendants' union UFO on Sunday said it would stage an all-day strike at smaller German divisions of airline group Lufthansa <LHAG.DE> in an escalating row over workers' pay and pensions.

The walkout at Lufthansa brands Germanwings, Eurowings, Lufthansa City Line and Sunexpress had initially been scheduled for 0300-0900 GMT but the union in a statement on Sunday said industrial action would now be extended until midnight local time (2200 GMT), citing threats made by the airline over jobs as reason.

A Lufthansa spokesman said the strike was illegal because UFO's status as a union negotiating on behalf of staff was in doubt.

(Reporting by Ludwig Burger and Elke Ahlswede. Editing by Jane Merriman)