Jet‑fuel squeeze hits flights

Airlines are cutting flights because jet fuel got scarce and expensive fast, turning fuel costs into an immediate scheduling problem. (bloomberg.com) Bloomberg reported on April 18 that carriers worldwide are deepening cancellations and grounding planes as jet-fuel prices jump. Business Insider reported earlier in April that the squeeze followed tighter supplies linked to the war involving Iran. (bloomberg.com) (businessinsider.com) Air Canada said on April 17 that jet fuel prices had doubled since the start of the Iran conflict and that some lower-profit routes and flight frequencies were no longer economically feasible. The carrier said schedule adjustments, including frequency reductions, were already being made. (aircanada.com) British Airways has not posted a broad fuel-cut statement on its public site, but its travel-news page shows flexible rebooking and refund policies for several Middle East destinations through October 31, 2026, while Lufthansa’s current-travel page separately showed mid-April schedule disruption notices. Those notices do not attribute every change to fuel, but they show how quickly international schedules are being rewritten. (britishairways.com) (lufthansa.com) Jet fuel is one of an airline’s biggest bills, alongside labor, so a sudden spike hits margins faster than many other costs. Bloomberg reported in March that fuel can account for as much as 30% of an airline’s costs. (bloomberg.com) The problem is not only price. Bloomberg reported on April 2 that the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz stranded a significant share of global jet-fuel shipments and pushed some Asian refineries to cut production, tightening physical supply as well as raising benchmark prices. (bloomberg.com) Industry data shows the market is still elevated even after some pullback. The International Air Transport Association said its latest weekly monitor put the global average jet-fuel price at $197.83 a barrel, down 5.3% from the prior week. (iata.org) Higher fuel costs are already feeding into ticket prices on long-haul routes. Bloomberg reported on March 26 that fares on major Asia-Europe routes had surged by as much as 560% during the month, citing Alton Aviation Consultancy. (bloomberg.com) Some carriers are trying to preserve cash and fuel by trimming the weakest flights first rather than cutting entire networks at once. That usually means fewer weekly departures, fewer one-stop connections, and less slack in the system when weather or labor problems hit. (aircanada.com) (iata.org) For passengers, the near-term effect is simpler than the supply chain behind it: fewer seats, fewer backup options, and higher odds that a disrupted trip will spill into the next day. Bloomberg said travelers should expect more cancellations in the next few months as airlines keep conserving fuel and protecting margins. (bloomberg.com)