Airlines cut 13,000 flights in May as jet fuel prices soar
Airlines have cut 13,000 flights globally in May as jet fuel prices soar due to the conflict in the Middle East.
www.bbc.comHere are the latest signals on airline flight cuts tied to rising fuel costs:
- Jet fuel costs have surged, prompting global carriers to trim capacity and cancel or suspend routes in several regions. This trend aligns with reports of major airlines including Cathay Pacific, Delta, United, Lufthansa, and others reducing flights or routes to manage higher fuel bills.[1][3][4]
- In Europe and Asia-Pacific, airlines have announced specific cutbacks: Cathay Pacific reducing frequencies in Asia-Pacific by about 2% (HK Express by about 6%), Lufthansa cutting tens of thousands of flights through mid-late 2026, and KLM adjusting inbound flights at Amsterdam to reflect fuel pressures.[3][6][1]
- North American activity shows U.S. majors and Canadian/European partners thinning schedules, with examples like United, Delta, Air Canada, and others pulling certain routes or reducing daily frequencies to preserve margins amid elevated jet fuel costs.[4][5]
Need more precise, up-to-date details for Prague (your location) or a specific airline/route? I can narrow to your region or pull a concise list of current routes affected by fuel-related cuts, plus any upcoming summer schedules and affected airports. If you want, I can also summarize how airlines choose which routes to trim (capacity thinning vs. outright suspensions) and provide a quick map of impacted routes near Prague.
Citations:
- Jet fuel prices driving global flight cuts and specific airline reductions.[1]
- Lufthansa and Cathay Pacific route adjustments and schedule reductions.[3]
- Analyst reports noting overall capacity reductions and carrier-level actions due to fuel costs.[4]