Lufthansa Cuts 20,000 Flights Amid Fuel Cost Surge

German airline Lufthansa announced Tuesday that it will cut 20,000 European short-haul flights this summer because soaring fuel prices have made many routes unprofitable.

Lufthansa said it expects to save more than 40,000 metric tons of jet fuel through the cuts, most of which will come from the shutdown of its CityLine service, the BBC reported.

The airline will temporarily halt flights to and from several destinations, including Heringsdorf, Germany; Cork, Ireland; Gdansk, Poland; Ljubljana, Slovenia; Rijeka, Croatia; Sibiu, Romania; Stuttgart, Germany; Trondheim, Norway; Tivat, Montenegro; and Wroclaw, Poland.

Jet fuel prices in Europe have more than doubled since the U.S. and Israel launched a war against Iran on Feb. 28, with Tehran retaliating by blocking oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz. The Gulf region accounts for about 50% of Europe's aviation fuel imports, much of which typically passes through the waterway.

It also canceled routes from Frankfurt, Germany, to Bydgoszcz and Rzeszow, Poland, as well as Stavanger, Norway, and said 10 additional connections will be consolidated within the group via other airports.

Affected passengers will be offered refunds or rebooked on alternative flights operated by Lufthansa subsidiaries such as SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and ITA Airways, where available.

The airline said some of the reductions could become permanent as it reviews its European schedule, with further cuts scheduled from June onward to be announced in late April or early May.

Airlines are being hit by rising fuel and labor costs, driving up ticket prices and adding fees for travelers already navigating a shaky economy.

Other carriers, including Air France-KLM and Delta, have also scaled back flights or raised ticket prices to offset higher costs.

Additional airlines, including United, SAS, Philippine Airlines, and Cathay Pacific, have reduced routes or signaled plans to increase fares if the conflict continues to disrupt oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz.

In a further sign of the conflict's impact, Air Canada said Friday it will suspend service to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport from June 1 through Oct. 25 in an effort to lower fuel costs.

Analysts warn travelers should expect further fare increases and cancellations if the conflict continues, particularly as the summer travel season approaches.

A looming jet fuel shortage in Europe and Asia could compound disruptions within weeks if a fragile agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz collapses.

The International Energy Agency warned last week that Europe has roughly six weeks of jet fuel supply remaining. However, the U.K. government and airlines have said they are not currently seeing supply disruptions.

Lufthansa said fuel supply for flights in its summer timetable should remain largely stable despite the reductions.

Last week, the airline announced an initial set of measures, including grounding less efficient aircraft and permanently removing CityLine's 27 operational aircraft from its summer schedule. While the CityLine phaseout had been planned before the war, Lufthansa said the conflict accelerated its implementation.

The announcement comes as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Sunday he plans to convene Germany's National Security Council to discuss potential jet fuel shortages tied to the conflict.

In response to concerns, the European Union said Wednesday it will establish a fuel observatory to monitor production, imports, exports, and stock levels of transport fuels. The bloc said the move is intended to mitigate the impact of high prices and potential shortages on the aviation sector.

Lufthansa said its network changes will still allow passengers access to global routes, particularly long-haul connections, but noted operations will be conducted more efficiently due to higher fuel costs.