These cancelled flights represent around 40 metric tons of fuel saved. The company says these changes are part of a wider reorganisation of its European network, which is being implemented across all of the group’s major hubs, including Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Vienna, Brussels and Rome. According to the announcement, around 120 daily flights have already been cancelled until the end of May and passengers who have booked have been notified.
Lufthansa has announced the cancellation of around 20 short-haul flights through October as part of a strategy to reduce sharply rising jet fuel costs. According to the German company, fuel prices have doubled (or even more) due to the conflict in the Persian Gulf and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key hub for global oil transport. These canceled flights represent around 40 metric tons of fuel saved. Lufthansa said the reductions mainly affect the operations of the Regional company CityLine, which is part of the group and is also planned to be phased out by 2027, but is now being accelerated.
The company says the changes are part of a wider reorganisation of its European network, which is being implemented across all of the group’s main hubs, including Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Vienna, Brussels and Rome. It said around 120 daily flights have already been cancelled until the end of May and passengers who have booked have been notified.
However, Lufthansa clarifies that these measures do not affect the overall flight schedule of all group companies, but only the CityLine operations. The company adds that a relatively stable fuel supply is expected for the summer season and that it is using financial hedging measures, including contracts and advance fuel purchases.
Meanwhile, the situation is also being monitored at the European level. EU transport ministers are discussing measures to avoid a shortage of jet fuel, after the International Energy Agency warned that European reserves could last less than six weeks. Among the options being considered are the use of alternative fuels from the US, flexibility in rules for supplies outside the EU and changes to airport slot rules. Other airlines have also initiated similar reductions: SAS, KLM, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Air New Zealand and others have announced cuts to flight schedules to cope with rising costs.(Corriere Della Sera)