Pilots of German airline Lufthansa voted in favor of a possible strike, the union announced on Sunday, saying the strike could still be avoided while calling the move a "clear signal" for the company in a pay dispute, AP reported.

The Vereinigung Cockpit is demanding a 5.5% pay rise this year and automatic inflation adjustment from next year. The union claims that Lufthansa has not yet made an acceptable offer in six rounds of negotiations.

The union said 97.6% of the pilots who voted approved of its call. The union said in a statement that the vote is not yet necessarily going to lead to a strike, but it is a clear signal to Lufthansa that the needs of cabin personnel need to be taken seriously.

The dispute comes amid a separate skirmish with a union representing Lufthansa ground personnel in Germany. A one-day strike on Wednesday as part of this standoff resulted in the cancellation of more than 1,000 flights.