Fuel shock forces flight cuts

Airlines are cutting flights again as jet fuel tops $200 a barrel, turning full planes into money-losing ones on some routes. (thetraveler.org) Cathay Pacific plans to cancel about 2 percent of scheduled passenger flights from May 16 through June 30, 2026, and its low-cost unit HK Express is preparing a roughly 6 percent cut from May 11. The cuts are centered on short-haul regional routes, with some long-haul service to Australia, South Asia and South Africa also affected. (thetraveler.org) United has already trimmed about 5 percent of planned flying for the second and third quarters of 2026, focusing on red-eye flights, weaker midweek departures and some Saturday service. Reuters reported on March 20 that Chief Executive Scott Kirby was modeling oil as high as $175 a barrel and above $100 through the end of 2027. (usnews.com) Fuel is one of the biggest airline costs, and The Traveler said it is now close to one-third of operating expenses for some carriers. Its report said the global average jet fuel price jumped from under $100 a barrel at the end of February to above $200 by early April. (thetraveler.org) That squeeze is changing growth plans, not just weekly schedules. The Points Guy reported on April 15 that United and other carriers are being more careful about adding seats later in 2026 as the industry weighs whether high fuel costs will last. (thepointsguy.com) The same pressure has revived merger talk in the United States. Reuters reported on April 13 that Kirby raised a possible United-American Airlines combination in a late-February meeting with President Donald Trump. (finance.yahoo.com) American and United both declined to comment to Reuters, and the White House did not immediately comment. CNBC reported that a combined American-United would be the world’s largest airline and would control roughly 40 percent of United States domestic capacity, citing OAG data. (finance.yahoo.com) (cnbc.com) Any deal of that size would run into antitrust scrutiny because the top four United States airlines already control about 80 percent of domestic capacity, CNBC reported. Analyst Daniel McKenzie told CNBC the idea would be “dead on arrival,” while Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told The Points Guy he sees room for more airline consolidation. (cnbc.com) (thepointsguy.com) For travelers, the immediate change is simpler than the merger chatter: fewer off-peak flights, higher surcharges and less room for airlines to grow into the second half of 2026. Carriers say the cuts are temporary, but several are now tying any restoration of service to fuel markets cooling down. (thetraveler.org) (usnews.com)