A union representing Lufthansa pilots has called a one-day strike at the German airline's long-distance and cargo operations on Tuesday - the latest in a string of walkouts.<br />The Vereinigung Cockpit union has hit various Lufthansa units with more than a dozen short-term walkouts over recent months.<br />The dispute centers on the airline's plans to cut transition payments for pilots wanting to retire early, which the union wants to see maintained.<br />The union announced the latest strike on Monday, saying that previous talks made no progress.<br />Traditional national carriers such as Germany's biggest airline are being squeezed both by European budget carriers and major Gulf airlines.<br />Lufthansa has announced plans to launch budget long-haul services.
