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

BBC Business reported Wednesday that airlines have scrapped roughly 13,000 flights worldwide during May as jet fuel prices soar amid ongoing Middle East conflict. Despite the scale of cuts, UK officials and travel industry groups are urging passengers not to alter their bookings.

Flight Cuts Amount to Just 1% of Global Capacity

The 13,000 cancelled flights represent approximately 1% of total global departures for the month. Aviation analytics firm Cirium identified Munich and Istanbul among the most heavily affected routes. UK departure and arrival schedules remain broadly intact for now.

The UK’s Department for Transport confirmed there is currently no supply shortage in Britain. Airlines purchase fuel in advance, it noted, and airports hold buffer stocks to cover disruptions. Passengers whose flights are cancelled retain full legal rights, including refunds or alternative routing options.

Airlines UK chief executive Tim Alderslade stated that no UK carriers are pulling flights due to fuel supply problems. He said operators intend to run their complete summer programmes, including the May half-term period beginning later this month. Trade body Abta echoed that position, with chief executive Mark Tanzer saying departures were proceeding daily and holidaymakers should expect their plans to go ahead.

How Jet Fuel Costs Reached Crisis Levels

Jet fuel was trading near $831 per tonne as recently as late February. By early April, prices spiked to $1,838 per tonne before retreating to around $1,500. The more-than-doubling in cost has already fed through into higher ticket prices, with long-haul routes seeing the sharpest increases.

Carriers including Air France, KLM, Delta, Air Canada, and SAS have each trimmed summer schedules. German aviation giant Lufthansa announced plans to remove 20,000 flights between now and late October. Its finance chief warned that longer routes could require additional refuelling stops if destination airports cannot supply fuel. Budget operators Wizz Air and easyJet, however, said they do not anticipate cancellations.

Government Contingency Rules Buy Airlines Time

The UK government has introduced temporary slot-protection measures allowing airlines to cancel flights ahead of schedule without forfeiting valuable take-off and landing rights at congested airports. Carriers can also consolidate passengers from multiple services on the same route to reduce fuel consumption.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander described the situation as “evolving” over the weekend but expressed confidence that most summer travellers would see minimal disruption. The International Energy Agency had warned in mid-April that Europe could face meaningful jet fuel shortfalls by June without additional supply sources.

Consumer group Which? noted airlines typically cancel around 2% of flights the day before departure even in normal conditions, suggesting the May figures remain within a manageable range.

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