Lufthansa has dealt a hammer blow to holidaymakers after announcing it is SCRAPPING 20,000 flights this summer, as the aviation industry reels from a global fuel crisis.
The German flag carrier is the first major airline to blink in the face of the escalating Iran conflict, which has seen jet fuel prices DOUBLE in weeks. In a desperate bid to save 40,000 metric tons of fuel, the airline group is tearing up its short-haul schedule through October, leaving thousands of travelers facing uncertainty.
THE GREAT CULL: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
The airline group—which includes Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and ITA Airways—is ditching "unprofitable" routes to protect its bottom line. While the company claims the total seat capacity will drop by less than 1%, the sheer volume of cancellations is staggering.
20,000 Flights Gone: Short-haul routes across all six major hubs (Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Vienna, Brussels, and Rome) are on the chopping block.
120 Daily Flights Already Cut: The first wave of misery has already begun, with 120 flights a day axed through the end of May.
Destinations Vanishing: Popular spots like Stavanger (Norway) and Polish cities Bydgoszcz and Rzeszów have been wiped from the map for now.
The "Consolidation" Trap: Ten other routes—including Cork, Stuttgart, and Gdańsk—are being "consolidated," meaning more layovers and longer journeys for passengers.
‘CRISIS OF SUPPLY’
The move comes as European transport ministers scramble to prevent a total "kerosene catastrophe." The International Energy Agency (IEA) warned that Europe could have as little as six weeks of fuel left following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
A Lufthansa spokesperson admitted the price of jet fuel has "doubled since the outbreak of the Iran conflict," forcing the airline to accelerate a "strategic consolidation" of its European network.
ARE YOU AFFECTED?
If you are booked to fly this summer, the worst may be yet to come. While passengers for May flights have already been notified, the airline is currently re-drawing its entire map for the peak holiday months.
TRAVEL ALERT: Lufthansa says the fully revised summer schedule won't be published until late April or early May.
Industry experts warn that other carriers could soon follow suit, with Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary previously hinting that his airline might be forced to cut up to 10% of its schedule if the fuel crunch continues.
THE DESTINATION HIT LIST (TEMPORARILY REMOVED)
Destination | Hub | Status |
Stavanger (Norway) | Frankfurt | AXED |
Bydgoszcz (Poland) | Frankfurt | AXED |
Rzeszów (Poland) | Frankfurt | AXED |
Cork, Ljubljana, etc. | Group-wide | REROUTED/CONSOLIDATED |
Lufthansa insists it is doing everything to ensure "schedule stability" and that its long-haul connections remain secure—but for the millions of Brits and Europeans planning short-haul getaways, the "summer of stability" is looking more like a summer of chaos.