Lufthansa Group is trimming its summer flight schedule across Europe, reducing capacity slightly while aiming to improve efficiency in response to sharply higher fuel costs.
The group will cut around 20,000 short-haul flights by October, lowering total capacity by less than 1% in available seat kilometres (ASK). The reductions are primarily focused on unprofitable routes from its main hubs at Frankfurt and Munich, while services are being expanded from other hubs including Zurich, Vienna and Brussels.
The move comes as jet fuel prices have surged following the outbreak of conflict involving Iran, prompting airlines to reassess network profitability. Lufthansa estimates the cuts will save more than 40,000 metric tonnes of fuel.
Initial adjustments are already underway, with about 120 daily flights cancelled through the end of May. Affected passengers have been informed, the company said. Among the routes suspended are connections from Frankfurt to regional destinations including Bydgoszcz, Rzeszów and Stavanger, while several other routes are being consolidated via alternative group hubs.
Despite the reductions, Lufthansa said it will maintain access to its global network, particularly long-haul services, by redistributing traffic across its six hubs: Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Vienna, Brussels and Rome. The strategy is part of a broader effort to streamline European operations across its airline portfolio, which includes Lufthansa Airlines, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and ITA Airways.
Further schedule adjustments for the summer season are expected to be announced in late April or early May, with the aim of improving overall stability and efficiency.
The group added that jet fuel supplies are secured for the coming weeks, supported by procurement measures and price hedging, even as market volatility continues to affect operating costs.