Airlines Cancel 13,000 Flights in May Amid Jet Fuel Crisis

Flight Cancellations Surge Amid Middle East Fuel Crisis

Major airlines have cancelled approximately 13,000 flights scheduled for May 2026 due to surging jet fuel costs linked to the ongoing US-Iran conflict, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium as reported by the Mirror. London Heathrow Airport alone has removed 111 flights from its May schedule, while roughly 2 million airline seats have been slashed from global May timetables, the Guardian reported.

Geopolitical Trigger and Oil Market Impact

The flight cancellations stem from a conflict that escalated over two months prior to this report. The United States and Israel conducted joint attacks on several crucial Iranian locations, prompting Iran to retaliate by targeting sites throughout the Middle East and shutting the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping lane. Approximately 20 per cent of global oil is traded through the Strait of Hormuz, and its closure has contributed to a sharp rise in crude prices.

Regional Impact and Airline Response

The largest reductions in flight numbers are concentrated in Istanbul and Munich, with Turkish Airlines and Germany’s Lufthansa implementing massive cuts. Lufthansa has axed 20,000 short-haul flights operated by its CityLine subsidiary. Airlines have reduced capacity through a combination of deploying smaller aircraft and complete flight cancellations.

Low-cost carriers EasyJet and Wizz Air have pledged to run their full summer timetables despite strain on the unprotected element of their fuel costs. Most short-haul airlines operating in the UK benefit from hedging protections against jet fuel price fluctuations, meaning they do not anticipate facing immediate cost rises.

Supply Chain Status and Forecast Risk

The aviation sector reports no current supply shortfalls, given the typical six weeks’ advance notice of fuel availability. However, international bodies have forecast that Europe could face jet fuel shortages if the Middle East conflict continues to disrupt deliveries.

Government Contingency Planning

The UK government has indicated that extraordinary steps could be implemented to prevent last-minute disruption during the summer period. These measures include merging flight timetables on routes where multiple services to identical destinations operate on the same day. Officials stated that services may also be cancelled if airlines have not sold a substantial proportion of seats, to avoid operating nearly vacant aircraft and wasting fuel.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander stated there were no “immediate supply issues,” but the government was “preparing now to give families long-term certainty and avoid unnecessary disruption at the departure gate this summer.”