Lufthansa cuts 20k flights
- Lufthansa says it will cut 20,000 summer flights as jet‑fuel prices surge, shrinking capacity this peak season. (bbc.co.uk) - The carrier explicitly tied the reduction to rising fuel costs driven by regional conflict and supply strains. (bbc.co.uk) - Travel coverage now urges booking early for the first half of peak summer because fuel shortages may lift fares and squeeze seats. (washingtonpost.com)
Lufthansa is cutting 20,000 short-haul flights through October after jet-fuel prices jumped and turned parts of its summer schedule unprofitable. (bbc.co.uk) The cuts cover European routes across the Lufthansa Group, which includes Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, ITA Airways and SWISS. The company said the reduction will save more than 40,000 metric tonnes of jet fuel. (apnews.com) Lufthansa said some of the reduction also comes from the closure of its CityLine regional subsidiary, announced a week earlier. Euronews, citing the company statement, said the first 120 daily cancellations outside CityLine will stay in place until the end of May. (euronews.com) The company is trimming thinner short-haul routes first and pushing more passengers through hubs in Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Vienna, Brussels and Rome. Euronews reported Lufthansa has already dropped service to Bydgoszcz and Rzeszów in Poland and Stavanger in Norway. (euronews.com) The immediate pressure is fuel. BBC reported jet fuel had doubled in price since the start of the U.S.-Israel war with Iran, while Euronews cited International Air Transport Association data showing Europe’s weekly average jet-fuel price at $188 a barrel, up 106.5% from last year’s average. (bbc.co.uk) (euronews.com) That squeeze is spreading beyond one airline. The Washington Post reported on April 22 that airlines in Europe, Asia and Oceania have been raising fares or adding fuel surcharges as the conflict drags on and fuel supplies tighten. (washingtonpost.com) For travelers, fewer short-haul flights usually means fewer seats on nonstop routes and more connections through major airports. The Washington Post said travel advisers are telling passengers to book early for the first half of peak summer because fares could rise further if shortages persist. (washingtonpost.com) European officials are also trying to contain the fallout. Reuters, as quoted by Euronews, said the European Union is working to clarify passenger-rights rules and airlines’ public-service obligations during jet-fuel shortages, while Transport Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas said high fuel prices do not justify waiving compensation for delays or cancellations. (euronews.com) Lufthansa’s move turns a fuel-market shock into a summer schedule problem: fewer flights, fuller planes and less slack in one of Europe’s busiest travel seasons. (apnews.com)
