Europe jet‑fuel crisis cuts flights
- Lufthansa Group cut 20,000 flights through October, while Transavia and Turkish Airlines also suspended routes as Europe’s jet-fuel squeeze spread before summer. - Jet fuel in Europe is up about 106% from a year ago, and Lufthansa said its cuts would save more than 40,000 metric tonnes. - Travel demand is still rising, with 82% of Europeans planning spring-summer trips. (etc-corporate.org)
Europe’s jet-fuel crunch is now hitting flight schedules, with Lufthansa Group, Transavia and Turkish Airlines all cutting services ahead of summer. (euronews.com 1) (euronews.com 2) Lufthansa Group said on April 22 that it would cancel 20,000 flights through October, targeting short-haul routes across Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, ITA Airways and SWISS. The company said the move should save more than 40,000 metric tonnes of jet fuel. (euronews.com) Transavia, part of Air France-KLM, said it is canceling some flights in May and June, while KLM separately cut 160 flights to and from Schiphol in May. Turkish Airlines is suspending 18 international routes and trimming frequencies, with changes starting in May and June. (euronews.com) The squeeze traces back to the war involving Iran and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a shipping chokepoint that analysts said handled around 40% of Europe’s jet-fuel imports. Argus Media told Euronews that no jet fuel had passed through the strait since the war began. (euronews.com 1) (euronews.com 2) That supply shock has turned into a price shock. Euronews, citing International Air Transport Association data, reported Europe’s weekly average jet-fuel price at $188 a barrel, up 106.5% from last year. (euronews.com) The timing is awkward for airlines because demand is still strong. The European Travel Commission said 82% of Europeans plan trips between April and September 2026, up 10% from a year earlier and the highest level since 2020. (etc-corporate.org 1) (etc-corporate.org 2) European officials have also moved to underline that fuel costs do not erase passenger protections. Euronews reported that European Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas said high fuel prices would not justify waiving compensation for delays or cancellations. (euronews.com) Under European Union rules, passengers on covered flights are entitled to written notice of their rights when flights are canceled, delayed more than two hours at departure, or arrive with a long delay. EU law also provides compensation and assistance, including rerouting or refunds in qualifying cases. (europa.eu) (transport.ec.europa.eu) For now, airlines are still trying to preserve their core networks by trimming weaker routes and consolidating traffic through major hubs. The result for travelers is a summer market with high demand, fewer flights on some city pairs, and less slack if disruptions spread. (euronews.com) (euronews.com)
