The ground controllers' strike at Frankfurt airport, Germany's largest has been extended until 11 p.m. On February 24^th. This dispute may force the cancellation today, February 21^st of as many as 20 percent of flightst, but also many delays. Just under 200 apron control workers, such as those who guide aircraft to parking places, are striking over a pay dispute with Fraport (FRAG.DE), which runs the airport.

German carrier Lufthansa (LHAG.DE) has already canceled hundreds of flights a day because of the walkouts, which started last Thursday, Febr. 18^th. The Gewerkschaft der Flugsicherung union said late yesterday that the 200 strikers will stay away from their jobs an extra three days instead of returning to work at 5 a.m. tomorrow. Fraport said more than 80 percent of flights took off on Monday. It estimated 187 flight cancellations so far out of a total 1,200 scheduled for Tuesday, meaning almost 85 percent of services could still run.

Frankfurt, Europe's third-largest airport in terms of passenger numbers, usually has around 1,300 flights per day. Flights do not take off or land between 2200 GMT and 0400 GMT due to a night flight ban.

Lufthansa, which accounts for more than half of flights at Frankfurt airport, has said it expected to cancel only about 160 incoming and outgoing flights on German and European routes on Tuesday, after about 200 on Monday.

All intercontinental flights will take place, it said. The airline said it was too soon to say how many flights would be scrapped on Wednesday and subsequent days. Its website showed eight early morning cancellations for Wednesday. The airport operator has been running 70-80 percent of flights using staff from other areas of operations and has said it will not be forced to agree to what it what it said were "unreasonable" demands for pay increases of 50-70 percent.

Fraport has called on the GdF union to end the strikes and resume talks. The first two days of walkouts cost Fraport between 3.5-4.0 million euros in lost revenue.

The union has shown no sign of backing down, lengthening the strike periods each time and saying it could continue action for weeks.

The two sides have already resorted to mediation, with Fraport rejecting a proposal made by mediator Ole von Beust in early February saying it would go against the salary matrix within the company. The apron workers represent about 1 percent of its workforce.