German airline Lufthansa has made the decision to cancel 20,000 flights scheduled in the upcoming months, marking a significant event amidst the escalating travel crisis and surge in jet fuel prices.
The airline giant announced the elimination of a substantial number of flights between May and October as a measure to save fuel, citing the doubling of jet fuel prices since the start of the Iran conflict as a primary factor.
A spokesperson for Lufthansa stated that the removal of these 20,000 short-haul flights equates to approximately 40,000 metric tonnes of jet fuel. The restructuring of the European network will primarily affect Lufthansa Group’s hubs in Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Vienna, Brussels, and Rome, while ensuring continued access to global route networks, especially long-haul connections, albeit with enhanced efficiency.
Additionally, the airline has already scrapped around 120 daily flights as of April 20 and plans to release the summer travel schedule in late April or early May, focusing on optimizing short-haul offerings throughout the season for improved flight schedule stability.
Recent warnings from the head of the International Energy Agency about Europe’s dwindling jet fuel reserves have prompted multiple airlines to adjust their operations, including flight cancellations and the introduction of new charges, in response to the deepening jet fuel crisis affecting the aviation industry worldwide.
Lufthansa’s actions reflect a broader trend among more than 30 airlines globally, all grappling with flight cancellations and financial adjustments due to the repercussions of geopolitical events like the conflict in Iran.