German aviation group Lufthansa is cutting back on flights amid fuel price surges related to conflicts in the Middle East. On Tuesday, the company announced plans to eliminate 20,000 short-haul flights through October, a decision expected to save around 40,000 metric tons of jet fuel.
The adjustments to the flight schedule will impact the unprofitable routes across the Lufthansa Group network, which includes Lufthansa Airlines, Swiss International Air Lines, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and ITA Airways.
“Passengers will therefore continue to have access to the global route network, particularly long-haul connections,” the company said in a press statement. “However, due to the increase in jet fuel prices, this will be achieved significantly more efficiently than before.”
The price of jet fuel has more than doubled recently due to slowed production and transportation issues, including disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, which accounts for 41% of all European jet fuel imports. Already, 120 flights have been canceled as part of the cost-saving measure, including flights from Frankfurt to the Polish cities of Bydgoszcz and Rzeszów, and to Stavanger in Norway. These disruptions are set to remain in effect until May 31.
The cuts aim to streamline operations and increase efficiency by consolidating 10 short-haul connections within the Lufthansa Group and rerouting passengers through larger hubs.
The affected destinations include Heringsdorf and Stuttgart in Germany, Wrocław and Gdańsk in Poland, as well as cities in Ireland, Slovenia, Croatia, Romania, Norway, and Montenegro. Passengers trying to travel to these destinations will have to go through hubs such as Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Vienna, Brussels, and Rome.
According to the company’s announcement, affected passengers will be contacted and notified.
Additional adjustments are set to be announced in late April or early May, as the company continues revising route planning in response to capacity reductions, including short-haul summer flight offerings.
Lufthansa says it expects a “stable fuel supply” for its scheduled flights this summer, and is taking measures such as fuel procurement and price hedging to reduce price fluctuations.
The German airline group is not alone in taking cost-saving steps amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
On April 22, the Canadian airline Air Transat announced it is cutting flights, affecting routes to Europe and the Caribbean. KLM, Air India, Air New Zealand, and Delta Air Lines have announced flight cuts as well. And United Airlines has suggested forthcoming price hikes of up to 20% to offset the surging fuel costs.