Europe’s aviation sector is facing unprecedented disruption as geopolitical tension in the Middle East sends jet fuel costs soaring, with Germany’s flagship carrier Lufthansa becoming the latest major airline to announce drastic capacity cuts. On Tuesday, Lufthansa confirmed it will slash 20,000 short-haul flights across its summer schedule, explaining that skyrocketing fuel prices have rendered a large portion of its regional European routes unprofitable.
The root of the industry-wide crisis traces back to the ongoing US-Israel-Iran conflict, which has severely disrupted fuel production and transportation across the Middle East. The Gulf region supplies roughly 50% of all jet fuel imported by Europe, with most of that cargo passing through the Strait of Hormuz—a critical chokepoint that Iran has effectively closed in response to US and Israeli military strikes. Energy Intelligence data confirms that the Kuwait-based Al-Zour refinery alone accounts for approximately 10% of Europe’s total jet fuel imports, highlighting how closely European aviation depends on stable Middle Eastern energy infrastructure. Since the conflict escalated, jet fuel prices have already doubled industry-wide.
Lufthansa is far from alone in grappling with the crisis. Peer airlines including Air France-KLM and Delta Air Lines have already implemented temporary flight cuts, while countless other carriers have opted to pass elevated energy costs directly to consumers through widespread ticket price hikes. Industry analysts have issued a stark warning for travelers: as long as the Middle Eastern conflict remains unresolved, further price increases and service disruptions should be expected across global aviation networks.
In Lufthansa’s case, the flight cuts are part of a broader efficiency push already underway at the carrier. Last week, the airline announced it would accelerate the permanent shutdown of its regional European subsidiary CityLine, a move that will see 27 older aircraft retired permanently. At the time of that announcement, Lufthansa cited not only sharply increased kerosene prices but also mounting operational burdens from ongoing labor disputes as core drivers for the restructuring.
The first 120 route cuts were rolled out this Tuesday, with services between Lufthansa’s Frankfurt hub to destinations in Poland and Norway among the first to be suspended. Lufthansa emphasized that the cuts are concentrated exclusively on its short-haul European network, and that passengers will retain full access to its global long-haul route network. The restructuring, the airline noted, is designed to operate the remaining network far more efficiently than before, and is projected to cut total jet fuel consumption by approximately 40,000 metric tons over the coming period.
Last week, the International Energy Agency issued an urgent warning that Europe could face a total jet fuel supply shortage within a matter of weeks if the current disruption continues. However, both the UK government and major European airlines have pushed back on that warning, stating that they have not yet experienced any interruptions to fuel supply chains at this stage.