Airlines cancel 13,000 flights in May as jet fuel crisis escalates

Airlines have cancelled 13,000 flights scheduled to operate in May 2026, removing nearly two million seats from busy holiday schedules in just two weeks, as the Iran war drives jet fuel costs to record levels and threatens to disrupt half-term travel for thousands of families.

Aviation analytics firm Cirium compiled the figures, which show the total number of seats available globally during May falling from 132 million to 130 million between mid-April and late April. The cancellations affect routes worldwide, with British Airways, Turkish Airlines, Lufthansa and Air France among the carriers cutting services.

The shortage of kerosene in Europe and the UK traces directly to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which has cut off approximately a fifth of the world's oil supply. Jet fuel is refined from crude oil, and the disruption to shipping routes has tightened European supply sharply. The cost of jet fuel has more than doubled since the start of the Iran conflict, far outpacing the broader increase in crude oil prices.

As well as outright cancellations, airlines have in some cases switched to smaller aircraft to reduce fuel consumption on routes where demand remains sufficient to justify continued operations. Both measures reflect the pressure carriers face as costs rise faster than they can pass them on through higher fares.

Which airlines have cancelled the most flights?

Germany's Lufthansa has taken the most aggressive approach among European carriers, cutting a total of 20,000 short-haul services from its summer schedule. The airline operates one of Europe's largest short-haul networks, making it particularly exposed to fuel cost volatility on thinner routes where margins are already narrow.

British Airways, Turkish Airlines and Air France have also made significant cuts, though precise figures for each carrier were not disclosed. Airlines have been concentrating reductions on weaker routes where passenger numbers are lower and where travellers can more readily be transferred to alternative services.

For passengers, the practical consequence is a choice between travelling on a different day, accepting a shortened trip, or cancelling altogether. Routes with multiple daily frequencies are expected to see the deepest cuts, as spare capacity on remaining flights allows airlines to rebook affected travellers. Thinner routes with a single daily service carry greater risk of complete suspension.

Explore the full picture of world news for the latest on the Iran conflict and its economic impact.

Why UK airlines face a growing fuel cost shock

UK airlines have been partly shielded from the spike in jet fuel prices through hedging contracts, under which carriers purchase fuel in advance at pre-agreed prices. Around 80% or more of near-term fuel requirements for UK airlines are currently covered by these arrangements.

However, that protection is time-limited. As hedging contracts expire over the coming weeks and months, airlines will become progressively more exposed to the elevated market price. The transition will place further pressure on route economics and is likely to prompt additional cancellations beyond those already announced.

Goldman Sachs analysts warned in a note that the UK appears most at risk of jet fuel rationing among European nations. Britain imports a substantial proportion of its jet fuel and lacks the refining capacity that gives some continental economies greater domestic supply security. Emergency jet fuel stocks stood at approximately one million tonnes at the end of 2025, against annual demand of around 12 million tonnes.

The energy minister, Michael Shanks, confirmed last week that UK refineries had been asked to maximise jet fuel production as part of government contingency planning. The instruction reflects official concern that stock levels could fall to critical thresholds if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed through the summer.

How the UK government is responding to the airline crisis

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander announced the suspension of so-called use-it-or-lose-it rules that normally require airlines to operate their allocated flight slots at UK airports or forfeit them to competitors. Under ordinary circumstances, carriers must use a slot 80% of the time or risk losing it permanently.

The suspension removes a significant operational constraint. Airlines including British Airways can now cancel flights from UK airports without penalty, allowing them to manage their fuel exposure without the risk of losing long-term slot rights. Slot rights at capacity-constrained airports such as Heathrow are commercially valuable and represent a substantial part of an airline's asset base.

The government's move mirrors emergency measures taken during the Covid-19 pandemic and signals that officials regard the current disruption as sufficiently severe to warrant an exceptional regulatory response. The slot suspension opens the way for wholesale timetable changes that could significantly reshape summer flying from UK airports.

Which routes face the deepest airline cuts?

Airlines have disclosed that reductions will be deepest on routes where multiple daily departures create enough spare capacity to absorb displaced passengers onto remaining flights. Short-haul European leisure routes, which carry high volumes of price-sensitive holiday travellers and operate on thin margins, are considered most vulnerable.

Long-haul routes to destinations with fewer alternative connections face a different risk: partial frequency cuts that force travellers onto less convenient departure times rather than outright cancellations. Business-heavy routes to major hubs are likely to see lighter cuts, as higher average fares justify absorbing greater fuel costs per seat.

Airlines have also raised fares on routes where demand remains strong, partially offsetting higher fuel costs through revenue. However, fare increases alone are insufficient to cover a more-than-doubling of the underlying fuel bill, which is why capacity reduction through cancellations and aircraft downgauging has become the dominant industry response.

Travellers booked on flights during the half-term period later in May face uncertainty about whether their services will operate as planned. Airlines are expected to contact affected customers directly, though the volume of changes across the industry may slow communication timelines. Passengers travelling on cancelled services are generally entitled to a full refund or rebooking on alternative flights under UK and EU consumer protection rules.

What airline flight cancellations mean for UK summer travel

The 13,000 flights cancelled so far represent an early phase of what could become a much more extensive reshaping of the summer schedule if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed and jet fuel prices stay elevated. Airlines have the regulatory freedom they need to make deeper cuts, and their financial incentive to do so grows with every week that fuel costs remain at record levels. UK travellers planning summer holidays face a period of genuine uncertainty, with the extent of disruption tied directly to the trajectory of the Iran conflict and any diplomatic resolution that might reopen global oil shipping routes.