Lufthansa to Cancel 20,000 Summer Flights as Jet Fuel Costs Soar

German airline Lufthansa has announced plans to cancel 20,000 short-haul flights across Europe during the summer season, citing a sharp rise in jet fuel prices that has rendered many routes financially unsustainable. The carrier said the cuts would primarily affect its European network and are intended to reduce fuel consumption as operating costs surge. Jet fuel prices have roughly doubled since the start of the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran, which has disrupted energy production and transport routes across the Middle East.

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Other airlines have also taken steps to manage rising costs. Companies including Air France–KLM Group and Delta Air Lines have temporarily trimmed parts of their flight schedules, while some carriers have raised ticket prices to offset higher fuel expenses.

Industry analysts say travellers may face additional cancellations and further increases in airfares if the conflict continues and energy markets remain volatile.

Impact of Gulf supply disruptions

The Middle East plays a critical role in supplying aviation fuel to Europe. Roughly half of the region’s jet fuel imports originate in Gulf states, with most shipments passing through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.

Shipping through the narrow waterway has been severely disrupted after Iran moved to effectively block the route following military strikes by the United States and Israel. The situation has slowed the movement of oil products and contributed to rising global fuel costs.

According to Lufthansa, the planned reductions will save about 40,000 metric tonnes of jet fuel. Much of the decrease will result from shutting down its regional subsidiary, Lufthansa CityLine.

As part of the changes, the airline said it will temporarily suspend flights to several European destinations, including Heringsdorf, Cork, Gdańsk, Ljubljana, Rijeka, Sibiu, Stuttgart, Trondheim, Tivat and Wrocław.

Passengers affected by the cancellations will be offered refunds or rebooked onto alternative services operated by other carriers within the Lufthansa Group where available. These include SWISS International Air Lines, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and ITA Airways.

The airline said some of the reductions could become permanent as it conducts a broader review of its European network. Further details about potential schedule changes are expected later in April.

Concerns over fuel availability

The flight cuts come amid wider concerns about jet fuel supplies in Europe. The International Energy Agency warned last week that the region could face shortages within weeks if supply disruptions continue.

However, the UK government and several airlines have said they are not currently experiencing direct interruptions in fuel deliveries.

In response to the volatility, the European Union announced plans to establish a monitoring system to track production, imports, exports and stock levels of transport fuels across the bloc.

Officials say the initiative is intended to identify potential supply risks early and reduce the impact of rising prices or shortages on the aviation sector.

Despite the reduction in European flights, Lufthansa said travellers would still be able to connect to its long-haul services through its wider global network, although operations would be run more efficiently in light of higher fuel costs.

The latest measures follow an announcement last week that Lufthansa would accelerate the shutdown of Lufthansa CityLine, retiring 27 aircraft. The airline cited escalating fuel costs and ongoing labour disputes as factors behind the decision.

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Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 23 April 2026