Airlines cut summer flying

Airlines are starting to pull seats out of the market just weeks before the Northern Hemisphere summer rush, as jet fuel costs jump and route economics change. (reuters.com) Cathay Pacific said on April 11 it will cancel about 2% of its scheduled passenger flights from May 16 to June 30, 2026, and its low-cost unit HK Express will cut about 6% from May 11. The carrier also said its passenger services to Dubai and Riyadh will stay suspended until June 30. (cnbc.com) Hong Kong’s government said it was in close contact with local airlines after the cuts were announced, as the city heads into a peak travel season. South China Morning Post reported the reductions will hit mostly regional routes, plus some flights to Australia, South Asia and South Africa. (scmp.com) The pressure is broader than Hong Kong. Air New Zealand said on April 7 it would slash flights across May and June and raise fares as higher jet fuel costs disrupted planning, adding another carrier to a list already adjusting summer schedules. (reuters.com) United Airlines said on March 20 it would cut 5% of scheduled flights in the second and third quarters of 2026, focusing on unprofitable flying as it prepared for oil to stay above $100 a barrel through the end of 2027. Chief Executive Scott Kirby said that scenario would add about $11 billion to United’s annual fuel bill. (reuters.com) Qantas has taken a different tack so far. Reuters reported in late March that the airline was raising international fares, monitoring fuel security and demand, and leaving open the possibility of further schedule changes rather than announcing a broad summer pullback. (businesstimes.com.sg) Jet fuel is one of the biggest variable costs for airlines, so a fast move in oil prices can change whether a route makes money even when planes are full. CNBC reported on April 7 that airlines were dealing not only with higher prices but also with worries about whether enough fuel would be available in some markets. (cnbc.com) That is why the same shock is producing different network decisions. Carriers with stronger demand or a strategic market to defend can still add flights, while others cut weaker routes, trim frequencies or push fares higher. (reuters.com) British Airways is moving the other way in India for summer 2026. Its media centre said the airline plans a third daily Delhi-Heathrow flight in 2026, subject to regulatory and capacity approval, and British Airways’ schedule pages show direct Hyderabad-Heathrow service already on sale and operating daily. (britishairways.com 1) (britishairways.com 2) British Airways has also been adding short-term India capacity this month. Industry reports citing the airline said a third daily Delhi flight began on April 7, 2026, and a third daily Mumbai service is due from May 15, showing where the carrier still sees enough demand to absorb higher operating costs. (livefromalounge.com) The next test is whether fuel prices stay elevated into late spring. If they do, airlines that have not yet cut schedules may keep shifting capacity toward routes that can support higher fares and away from markets where summer demand is strong but margins are thin. (reuters.com)