Airlines Cut 13,000 Flights in May as Jet Fuel Costs Surge

BBC Business reported Wednesday that airlines have scrapped roughly 13,000 flights scheduled for May, with jet fuel prices more than doubling since the Middle East conflict escalated.

Aviation data firm Cirium puts the total seats removed at close to two million. That represents approximately 1% of global flights for the month. Munich and Istanbul rank among the hardest-hit destinations in the data.

Jet Fuel Prices Have More Than Doubled

The scale of the price shock is striking. A tonne of jet fuel traded near $831 in late February. By early April it had surged to around $1,838 per tonne, a rise of more than 120% in under two months. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical passage for oil and liquefied natural gas, has choked off a major supply route. The UK sources roughly 65% of its jet fuel through imports, a significant share of which historically flows from the Middle East.

The International Energy Agency warned in mid-April that Europe could face jet fuel shortages by June unless alternative supply is secured.

Airlines Begin Trimming Schedules

Several large carriers have already acted. Lufthansa announced plans to remove 20,000 flights from its schedule through the end of October. Its finance chief indicated that refuelling stops could be added to longer routes if planes cannot take on fuel at destination airports. Air France, KLM, Air Canada, Delta, and SAS have also trimmed their summer programmes.

Budget carriers are taking a different stance. Both Wizz Air and easyJet have said they do not expect to cancel flights. Wizz Air’s chief executive noted that some European fares are actually falling as carriers compete for cautious travellers.

UK Government Steps In With Contingency Measures

UK officials are moving to limit passenger disruption. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander acknowledged the situation remains fluid but said no supply disruption has materialised yet. Her department has introduced a temporary rule allowing airlines to consolidate passengers across flights to conserve fuel. Carriers at busy airports such as Heathrow may also cancel well in advance without forfeiting valuable landing and take-off slots.

The travel trade body Advantage Travel Partnership said UK departures to popular summer sun destinations remain on schedule. Its chief executive Julia Lo Bue-Said said airlines are reviewing underperforming routes and consolidating where necessary, but that customers can still book with confidence.

Consumer group Which? noted that even in normal conditions some airlines cancel more than 2% of flights within 24 hours of departure, putting the current figures in perspective. Package holiday travellers carry stronger legal protections if their plans are disrupted.

Read Next: What the Strait of Hormuz Closure Means for Energy Markets