OFFICIALS have warned that there is just weeks of jet fuel supplies left before airlines start running out.
Earlier this week, the head of the International Energy Agency warned that vital supplies remain blocked by conflict in Iran – as a result, many airlines have already started axing routes.
The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is holding up major supply chains which has led to a huge hike in fuel costs – and shortages.
ACI Europe, which represents European airports, said the key trade route must open within three weeks or fuel reserves will run drastically low.
In response, a number of major airlines have been cancelling flights in preparation for shortages – with thousands affected.
Here are the major eight airlines that have already cut back on their routes…
United Airlines
United Airlines said that five per cent of flights would be cancelled in the second and third quarters of 2026.
With up to 5,000 flights a month – working out to around 4,000 domestic and 800 international routes – this means it affects around 250 flights a month.
United Airlines has the world’s largest airline fleet with more than 1,075 aircraft.
Scandinavian Airlines
SAS was the first major airline in Europe to axe flights because of of the cost of fuel going up.
It said in mid-March that it would cancel 1,000 flights throughout April.
Lufthansa
Lufthansa‘s subsidiary airline CityLine is to cease operations due to both the Iran crisis and ongoing strike action.
The division ran business flights between European airports but will ground its entire fleet of 27 aircraft.
Flight routes typically connected London to Frankfurt and Munich.
It will also cut six planes from its international fleet after the summer holiday season, warning that the cutbacks could last into winter.
KLM
Dutch airline KLM has cancelled 160 flights for the coming month, but has said it will affect less than 1 per cent of its schedule
The airline insists there is no shortage of jet fuel, saying the move is purely down to spiralling costs.
A KLM spokesperson said: “Passengers affected by these changes will be rebooked onto the next available flight.
“KLM expects a busy May holiday period and is making sure passengers can travel to their holiday destinations as planned.”
Cathay Pacific
Cathay Pacific has confirmed that two per cent of passenger flights will be cancelled from May 16 to June 30.
This will affect a number of regional routes, as well as longer-haul connections to destinations across Australia and South Asia.
Its budget airline HK Express is set to cut six per cent of flights due to increased costs.
Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand announced in March that it will be cutting back on flights over the next two months.
Chief Executive of Air New Zealand Nikhil Ravishankar said the airline would see roughly a five per cent reduction in its services which would continue until the beginning of May 2026.
This reduction equates to around 1,100 flights which in turn will affect 44,000 passengers out of its 1.9million.
Norse
Norse Atlantic Airways has removed all flights to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) from its summer schedule.
A spokesperson said: “Due to the continued increase in fuel constraint risks, fuel prices, and the resulting impact on our operating costs, we have had to make the difficult decision to suspend our LAX operations this summer, May to October.”
Norse operated a summer route from London Gatwick to LA.
British Airways
British Airways will drop its service from London Heathrow to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia permanently from April 24, 2026.
The airline had been operating a four flights a week service since November 2024.
BA said the terminating of the service was due to a shift in demand rather than fuel costs as hasn’t axed any flights because of that so far.
Virgin Airways
Virgin Atlantic announced earlier this month that it would be permanently scrapping its London flight to Riyadh from April 7, 2026.
It said some of the reasons were the “evolving situation in the Middle East” and “operating costs.”
Some airlines have increased prices to offset costs instead…
Rather than axing routes – other airlines have added surcharges or baggage fees…
- Air France and KLM have have increased their round-trip fares by €100 (£87) on most of their long-haul flights– with an additional charge of €10 (£8.69) for a round trip in economy.
- Virgin Atlantic confirmed it would do the same earlier this week – passengers in economy will pay an extra £50, in premium economy passengers will pay an extra £180 and anyone in business class will see flights cost an extra £360.
- JetBlue has increased baggage fees by $4 (£3) for off peak, economy travellers. This will now be $39 (£30) – the cost peak economy travellers will be $49 (£37).
- The low-cost Spanish Airline Volotea is adding maximum surcharge of €14 (£12.20) per person to flight bookings.
Here’s why you should book your summer holiday now – easyJet boss says.
And here are the European holiday destinations Brits are flocking to instead of Turkey and Egypt due to Iran crisis.