Cathay trims summer flying
Cathay Pacific plans to cut flights from mid‑May through the end of June 2026 because of surging jet‑fuel prices, with services to Dubai, Riyadh and other long‑haul routes listed among the reductions (travelandtourworld.com). The carrier framed the move as a fuel‑cost response rather than a temporary operational pause tied to a single airport closure (travelandtourworld.com).
Cathay Pacific is cutting flights for six weeks this summer after jet-fuel prices jumped, trimming capacity instead of waiting for costs to fall. (cnbc.com) The Hong Kong carrier said it will cancel about 2% of its scheduled passenger flights from May 16 through June 30, 2026. Its low-cost unit HK Express will cut about 6% of flights starting May 11. (cnbc.com) Cathay also said passenger flights to Dubai and Riyadh will stay suspended through June 30, while Tel Aviv service remains suspended until further notice. The airline told affected customers they would be notified of updated itineraries by Monday, April 13. (ttgasia.com) The cuts show how quickly fuel can reshape airline schedules. The International Air Transport Association said the global average jet-fuel spot price reached $209 a barrel for the week ending April 3, up from $99.40 for the week ending February 27. (iata.org) Cathay framed the move as a fuel-cost decision, not a one-airport disruption. Reuters reported on March 30 that Chief Executive Ronald Lam had said cutting capacity would be a “last resort,” then reversed course less than two weeks later as fuel kept rising. (msn.com) The airline entered this stretch from a stronger financial base than during the pandemic recovery. Cathay reported attributable profit of HK$10.82 billion for 2025, up 9.5% from 2024, while still warning in March about higher fuel surcharges tied to Middle East conflict and supply-chain strains. (scmp.com) Fuel is one of the biggest line items for any airline, and Cathay’s own 2025 analyst briefing showed net fuel cost as a major swing factor in earnings. That helps explain why the group chose to cut flights even with summer demand typically stronger than spring. (hk.marketscreener.com) Cathay said it still plans to operate its full scheduled passenger network from July onward, but tied that plan to developments in the Middle East and future fuel prices. For now, the airline is shrinking the schedule to protect margins before the peak summer season. (humanresourcesonline.net)
