Lufthansa, Germany’s flag carrier and largest airline, has announced plans to cancel around 20,000 short-haul flights between May and October as part of efforts to cut fuel consumption amid soaring jet fuel prices.
The airline said the reductions—equivalent to roughly 120 flights per day—will have only a marginal impact on overall capacity, trimming available seat kilometres by less than one percent. The cuts will primarily affect underperforming routes at its key hubs in Frankfurt and Munich during the summer travel season, which typically runs through mid-October.
At the same time, Lufthansa plans to rebalance its network by selectively increasing services from other hubs, including Zurich, Vienna, and Brussels.
In a statement, the airline noted that the cancelled flights would save approximately 40,000 metric tonnes of jet fuel. Prices for aviation fuel have surged sharply, reportedly doubling since the escalation of tensions linked to the Iran conflict.
Short-term schedule adjustments have already been implemented through May 31, while further changes for the June–October period are expected to be finalized and published later in April.
The restructuring is part of a broader consolidation strategy across the Lufthansa Group’s six major European hubs—Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Vienna, Brussels, and Rome—and involves closer coordination among its subsidiary carriers, including SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and ITA Airways.
As part of the network changes, Lufthansa has temporarily suspended certain routes, including flights from Frankfurt to Bydgoszcz and Rzeszow in Poland, as well as Stavanger in Norway. Additional connections are being rerouted through other group hubs.
Despite the cuts, Lufthansa said it expects a largely stable fuel supply for the summer schedule and is taking steps to manage costs, including direct fuel procurement and price hedging.
The airline’s decision comes amid a broader industry response to surging oil prices, driven by geopolitical tensions in West Asia. Supply disruptions, particularly around key shipping routes such as the Strait of Hormuz, have pushed Brent crude prices above $100 per barrel, significantly increasing operating costs for airlines worldwide.
Fuel typically accounts for up to one-third of an airline’s expenses, leaving carriers highly exposed to price volatility. As a result, many airlines have responded by cutting capacity or raising fares.
The situation has also prompted concern among policymakers. Following a warning from the International Energy Agency that Europe may have less than six weeks of jet fuel reserves, transport ministers across the region have begun discussions on contingency measures to avoid potential shortages.
(With inputs from ANI)