Lufthansa cuts 20,000 flights as jet fuel costs double

Lufthansa has said 20,000 short-haul flights are being cut from its schedule this summer, allowing it to save on the soaring cost of jet fuel. Most of the cuts come from closing its loss-making CityLine fleet and retiring its 27 aircraft. It blamed the cost of jet fuel, which it said had more than doubled, as well as labour disputes with its workforce.

Most airlines are dealing with soaring costs as Middle East oil supplies remain largely cut off due to the blocking of the Strait of Hormuz. Consumers are also feeling the pinch with ticket prices starting to show significant rises.

Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary told Sky News this month there was a risk fuel supplies could be disrupted from May if the Strait of Hormuz remained shut. He said oil costs were part of the "wider ramifications", but the more "immediate concern" was jet fuel supplies. The head of the International Energy Agency also told Associated Press last week that Europe had "maybe six weeks of jet fuel left".

In a statement on Tuesday, Lufthansa said the 20,000 culled flights would save 40,000 tons of jet fuel over the period until October - adding that the cuts only represented 1% of its "available seat kilometres". The company said it was consolidating its European network and unprofitable routes from its Frankfurt and Munich hubs were going, while existing routes out of Zurich, Brussels and Vienna were being expanded. The German carrier said passengers would still be able to access its global route network and long-haul connections.

Lufthansa's long-haul capacity will reduce somewhat at the end of the summer however, when it loses six intercontinental planes. Two iconic Boeing 747s will be grounded for the winter ahead of their final farewell sometime in 2027. Four Airbus A340-600s are also retiring for good in October.