The Lufthansa pilot strike reminded me of an old joke the former BEA pilots circulated.

A Lufthansa pilot, approaching Berlin, asked for landing clearance in German. The tower responded, “Speak English, please. You are cleared to land after BEA.”

The pilot snarled, “I am a German pilot flying for a German airline, landing at a German airport. Why must I speak English and let a British aircraft land before me?”

Before the tower could reply, the clipped British accent of the BEA pilot was heard, saying, “Because you lost the ***** war.”