In brief
Lufthansa is set to cut 20,000 short-haul flights this summer due to unprecedented fuel price hikes, which have doubled since the onset of the US-Israel war with Iran. The airline aims to save approximately 40,000 metric tons of jet fuel, impacting routes from various European airports. Affected passengers will have the option to be refunded or rebooked on alternate flights through partner airlines. This flight reduction is part of a broader strategy as airlines globally face rising costs, with potential for more cancellations and fare increases ahead.
German airline Lufthansa will cut 20,000 European short-haul flights over the summer, saying soaring fuel prices have made many journeys 'unprofitable' for the firm. Jet fuel has doubled in price since the start of the US-Israel war with Iran as the conflict has slowed its production and transportation across the Middle East.Several airlines, including KLM-France and Delta, have also temporarily cut some flights while others have raised ticket prices as they pass on expenses to customers. Analysts have warned that travelers should expect further ticket price rises and more cancelled flights as the conflict continues.The Gulf is a major source of aviation fuel, accounting for about 50% of Europe's imports. The bulk of it comes through the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has effectively closed in response to US and Israeli attacks.Lufthansa said on Tuesday it would save roughly 40,000 metric tons of jet fuel through its flight cuts, the majority of which will come from the closure of its CityLine service. It said this means it will temporarily stop flying to and from Heringsdorf, Cork, Gdańsk, Ljubljana, Rijeka, Sibiu, Stuttgart, Trondheim, Tivat, and Wrocław.The firm will either refund affected passengers or book them onto alternative flights with one of its other airlines – SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and ITA Airways – where possible. Some of the flight cuts could become permanent. Lufthansa said it was reviewing its whole European schedule and would release more details later in April.The International Energy Agency warned last week that Europe could run out of jet fuel in weeks, though the UK government and airlines say they are not seeing a disruption in supply. The EU said it will set up a fuel observatory to track production, imports, exports, and stock levels of transport fuels to identify potential shortages, hoping to mitigate the impact of high fuel prices on the aviation sector.Lufthansa has confirmed that it will continue to provide access to its global route network, particularly long-haul connections, although this may be achieved more efficiently than before due to increased jet fuel prices. This announcement follows statements made last week regarding the accelerated closure of CityLine due to the significant increase in fuel prices and additional burdens from labor disputes.
