As of 12 May 2026 a surge in jet fuel prices and supply disruption has led carriers worldwide to cut schedules, with significant impacts at major UK airports and across global networks
The global aviation network has been shaken by a wave of schedule cuts and cancellations driven by a spike in jet fuel prices and constrained supplies. Jet fuel shortages tied to the Iran conflict and Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz—a channel that handles roughly 20% of world oil and gas flows—have forced carriers to rethink capacity, with analytics firm Cirium reporting that about 13,000 flights were removed from May timetables.
These adjustments are not limited to one region. In the UK alone airlines have scrapped 1,468 departures from the nation’s largest airports, and global seat reductions have reached close to two million seats. Major hubs such as London Heathrow saw 846 cancellations in May affecting more than 151,198 seats, while regional airports including Birmingham, Glasgow and Manchester reported hundreds of removed services.
As of 12 May 2026 the situation remains fluid, with further cuts possible if supply constraints continue.
Which airlines are trimming schedules and the reasons why
Several full-service and low-cost carriers have announced notable reductions to conserve fuel or cut loss-making legs.
German flag carrier Lufthansa said it would remove 20,000 short-haul flights from May through October—an action the airline framed as saving around 40,000 metric tonnes of jet fuel; this decision was detailed in a company statement issued on 21 April. Other major adjustments include Turkish Airlines cancelling more than 3,000 flights, and Malaysia’s AirAsia X cutting roughly 10% of its May services.
North American and Pacific carriers have also pared back routes. Air Canada suspended planned international and selected domestic services, highlighting that doubled fuel costs have made some lower-profit routes unviable. Air New Zealand, Air Transat (reducing about 6% of its May–October schedule), Asiana, Cathay Pacific and its low-cost unit HK Express are among other operators shrinking capacity. Budget long-haul and leisure specialists such as Norse Atlantic and some Vietnamese carriers have also adjusted timetables in response to the price spike.
North America and Europe: targeted network changes
Carriers operating transatlantic and intra-European routes have made targeted suspensions. Delta temporarily halted some New York and Detroit services until later in the year, while United trimmed flights to Europe, Japan and the Middle East. KLM revised timetables and kept flights to certain Gulf cities suspended through at least 28 June. These edits illustrate how airlines are balancing demand with mounting operational costs. Insurers are watching too, since delays and mass rebookings could spur higher claims linked to cancellations and missed connections.
What the data says about summer schedules and passenger impact
Despite alarming headlines, a closer look at schedule data shows a mixed picture for summer travel, particularly in the UK. Cirium’s weekly snapshots indicate that summer departures from UK airports have only seen modest changes: weekly scheduled flights for June, July and August showed tiny reductions compared with the prior week—examples include June dropping from 22,027 to 21,991 (-36) and July and August remaining almost unchanged. Scaled across the season this equates to roughly 700 flights removed out of more than 280,000 scheduled departures, suggesting network-level summer capacity is largely holding.
Airport-level winners and losers
While some airports face cuts, others have actually added capacity year-on-year. Manchester, London Stansted and London Luton reported notable weekly increases, reflecting continued demand for low-cost and leisure travel. Conversely, Glasgow and a handful of other airports registered small week-on-week drops. The UK government has introduced temporary slot flexibility—allowing airlines to cancel or consolidate services without losing airport slots—which airlines say helps them plan more sensibly and avoid last-minute disruptions.
Practical advice and the wider outlook
For travellers the immediate steps are straightforward: check communications from your airline for rebooking or refund options, monitor airport updates, and allow extra time for journeys. Some carriers, such as Qantas, have said affected customers will be contacted and offered alternatives or refunds, and several airlines are reducing frequencies by a few percentage points to balance capacity and cost. Governments, suppliers and carriers continue to assess fuel availability; Cirium has warned Europe could face a severe jet fuel crunch if supplies through the Strait of Hormuz remain constrained ahead of peak travel periods.
In summary, the aviation industry is navigating a temporary but potent shock to supply and costs: a mix of route suspensions, timetable tweaks and contingency measures. As of 12 May 2026 passengers should expect ongoing changes and plan accordingly, while industry watchers monitor how geopolitical tensions and fuel market volatility shape the months ahead.
