Airlines Cut 13,000 Flights as Jet Fuel Prices Double

Airlines worldwide have canceled thousands of flights during the May half-term holiday period as jet fuel prices have doubled amid the Middle East conflict and Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway carrying about 20 percent of global oil and gas supplies.

According to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium, carriers have removed 13,000 flights from May schedules globally. In the United Kingdom, 1,468 flights have been cut from major airports, affecting 410 routes. London Heathrow saw 846 flights eliminated, removing 151,198 seats, while Birmingham reduced 200 flights and 21,880 seats. Glasgow canceled 86 flights and Manchester 60 for the month, with smaller regional airports also impacted.

The cancellations stem from efforts to conserve fuel amid shortages and price surges triggered by the conflict. Lufthansa removed 20,000 short-haul flights from May through October, equivalent to 40,000 metric tonnes of jet fuel. In a statement on April 21, the airline said, "In total, 20,000 shorthaul flights will be removed from the schedule through October, equivalent to approximately 40,000 metric tonnes of jet fuel, the price of which has doubled since the outbreak of the...