Eurowings pilots will go on strike Thursday after negotiations on improving working conditions at the low-cost German airline broke down, their union said.

The employees of the Lufthansa subsidiary were seeking a reduction in maximum flying time as well as an increase in rest periods, the Cockpit union said, adding current agreements had not been updated since 2015.

"The workload has increased significantly. The employer regularly pushes staff to the maximum permitted limit," said Matthias Baier, a Cockpit spokesman.

After several rounds of talks failed, "the only option left for us is to advance our demands via a labour dispute," he said.

The union said it remained open to further talks.

The European aviation sector has been hit by a growing number of strikes in recent months among pilots, cabin crew and ground staff.

High inflation has triggered calls for pay hikes, while the sector also faces a shortage of workers after many jobs were cut during the coronavirus pandemic.

Lufthansa pilots agreed last month not to go on strike again until at least the end of June next year under a pay deal negotiated with the airline.