Berlin, March 27 (RHC-Xinhua) -- Hundreds of flights were canceled on Thursday after public sector workers walked out at seven airports across Germany, local media reported.

Employees of the operating company Fraport began their stoppage for better pay at 3 a.m. local time (02OO GMT) in the largest German hub, Frankfurt.

The Verdi union called for an increase of 100 euros in monthly wage, saying the action was aimed at heaping pressure on the employers in a wage dispute.

Meanwhile, strikes were taking place at airports in Munich, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Cologne-Bonn, Stuttgart and Hanover.

Almost 550 takeoffs and landings, or half of all flights planned for Thursday in Frankfurt, were canceled, a Fraport spokeswoman said.

Germany's largest airline Lufthansa had also canceled a third of its 1,800 flights nationwide.