The airline cancels a huge number of flights – The price of fuel in the background

German airline Lufthansa cancels 20,000 flights to save fuel, the company says in its announcement.

The reason is the doubling of the price of aviation fuel due to the Iran war. Financial Times tellsthat it is one of the biggest cuts made by a single airline.

The qualifying flights concern the company’s flights in Europe. The German company already canceled 120 flights on Monday of this week. The cut list includes, for example, unprofitable routes from Munich and Frankfurt.

With the cuts, the company is aiming for fuel savings of around 40,000 tons. Lufthansa will publish its more detailed route plan at the turn of April-May. The decision applies to flight schedules until the end of October.

European Union transport ministers are currently looking for ways to avoid fuel shortages.

The international energy organization IEA has previously warned that Europe’s fuel reserves are enough for less than six weeks. According to the Financial Times, the EU is considering, among other things, the import of US jet fuel and flexibility in airport departure time rules to ease the situation.

The increase in the price of jet fuel has hit airlines worldwide since the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

According to FT, for example, an American Delta Air Lines aims to save a billion dollars by trimming its routes. In Asia, among other things Cathay Pacific and Air Asia X have reduced flights, and many companies have introduced fuel surcharges. In the United States, airlines have increased baggage fees.