Due to a spike in fuel prices in the U.S. and the EU, airlines are canceling flights
4 May 17:21
In May, airlines worldwide cut 2 million passenger seats and canceled 12,000 passenger flights. This was reported by the Financial Times, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
A number of airlines have also switched to using smaller or more fuel-efficient aircraft to conserve jet fuel amid potential supply disruptions.
“Since the start of the war in the Middle East, the cost of jet fuel has doubled, forcing airlines to raise ticket prices, while the closure of airports in the Gulf states has caused chaos in global air travel,” the report states.
The situation with air travel in the EU
In Europe, there is growing discussion of the risk of jet fuel shortages and mass flight cancellations right in the middle of the summer vacation season. Some airlines are already considering introducing additional baggage fees. And this is despite the fact that oil prices have not yet peaked, analysts say.
According to data from the analytics firm Circum, the total number of seats available across all airlines in May fell from 132 million to 130 million between mid-April and the end of April.
“The largest reductions in seats were made by Turkish Airlines (over 500,000), Air China (nearly 500,000), and Germany’s Lufthansa. This airline also canceled nearly 4,000 flights in May—the most among all carriers.”
In total, Lufthansa cut about 20,000 flights between May and October 2026. Air China ranked second in terms of the number of canceled flights, cutting, in particular, domestic flights between Chengdu and Beijing.
Problems are also arising on certain routes. For example, Air France reported that the company was asked not to add flights to Singapore or Tokyo, as these two major transit hubs in Asia are seeking to limit aviation fuel consumption.
“Asia has been hit hardest by disruptions in jet fuel supplies, as it relies more heavily on fuel from the Strait of Hormuz, which remains virtually blocked. In particular, Japan Air reported that the airline’s profits will drop by one-fifth due to rising fuel costs.”
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The situation with air travel in the U.S.
In the United States, an airline has gone bankrupt for the first time due to rising jet fuel prices. European airlines also fear shortages, rising ticket prices, or even flight cancellations. All because of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, which has been ongoing for over two months.
The American low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines ceased all operations on May 1. Flights have been canceled, passengers have received refunds, and people are forced to reschedule their trips. This is the first official case of an airline going bankrupt due to the war with Iran and the oil crisis. Although Spirit Airlines had faced problems before, the spike in oil and jet fuel prices was the final straw. Similar problems have arisen for other carriers. Several more airlines have turned to the government for help.
“Some airlines have applied for a loan of two and a half billion dollars. Our team is negotiating with the heads of these companies. I don’t believe they need direct government assistance; that should be a last resort. They’d be better off seeking funds in the private capital markets,” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy.
As a reminder, earlier, Airports Council International Europe, which represents over 600 airports and 95% of air traffic in Europe, reported in a letter to European Commissioner for Transport Apostolos Tsitsikostas that European airports could face a systemic shortage of aviation fuel in early May.
The approach of the peak summer season, during which air travel supports the entire tourism ecosystem on which many EU economies depend, has intensified these concerns.
Since the start of the war in the Middle East, the price of jet fuel in Northwestern Europe has risen to $1,573 per ton. Before the war, it was $750 per ton.
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