Lufthansa parent company cancels 20K flights as war spikes fuel costs

The German company that owns Lufthansa Airlines and other European carriers says it plans to cut 20,000 short-haul flights through October as the Iran war drives up oil prices and deepens worries that some countries may run low on jet fuel.

The Lufthansa Group said the cancellation of less profitable routes, focused largely on its hub airports in the German cities of Frankfurt and Munich, would save the equivalent of approximately 40,000 metric tons of jet fuel.

Jet fuel prices have more than doubled in some markets since the war began in late February.

Aviation analytics firm Cirium says 19 of the world's largest 20 airlines have cut May flights in response.