Multiple overseas airlines have suspended flights to China—what does this mean?

This situation is actually largely self-inflicted. Flying around Russian airspace adds roughly two to three hours to flight time. For airlines, flying 20% farther means carrying 20% more fuel. A Boeing 777 consumes approximately 2,400 gallons of jet fuel per hour during cruise; jet fuel prices fluctuate between $3 and $6 per gallon—using an average of $4.50—the extra 2.5 hours would incur an additional fuel cost of about $27,000 (≈¥192,000 RMB). Moreover, burning an extra 6,000 gallons (~18 metric tons) of fuel means carrying 18 tons less cargo. Air freight rates from Beijing to Frankfurt exceed ¥10/kg, resulting in another loss of roughly ¥180,000 RMB. Additionally, the extra 2.5 flight hours entail higher crew and pilot hourly wages—and more crew members must be carried onboard to ensure mandatory rest periods for all personnel. While these labor costs are difficult to quantify precisely, they easily amount to tens of thousands of RMB. Even excluding crew and pilot expenses, each round-trip flight now costs at least ¥370,000 more than comparable flights operated by Chinese carriers. With Air China’s Boeing 777 configured for 311 seats, that translates to an added cost of ¥1,189 per passenger—even assuming full occupancy. Keep in mind that off-peak one-way fares typically range only between ¥2,000–3,000, and this calculation still excludes the additional crew and pilot expenses.

Soaring aviation fuel prices have pushed airlines into a 'self-preservation mode,' intensifying flight cancellations ahead of the summer peak season.

According to aviation data analytics firm Cirium, global airline capacity was cut by approximately 3 percentage points in May; among the world’s top 20 airlines, only one has refrained from reducing flights. Cirium has revised its full-year capacity growth forecast downward—from an earlier projection of +4% to +6%—to a new outlook of "potentially declining by 3% under specific conditions." The crisis initially affected only Middle Eastern carriers and their airspace, but rapidly spread globally after the U.S. Navy blockaded the Strait of Hormuz and halted Iranian oil exports. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines announced on Thursday that it will cancel 80 round-trip flights from Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport over the next month, joining United Airlines, Lufthansa, and Cathay Pacific in cutting capacity. Richard Evans, Senior Advisor at Cirium, stated bluntly in his report: "Further cuts are virtually inevitable." Airlines across the Americas, Europe, and Asia-Pacific are pulling back en masse. U.S. carriers face the most direct impact. United Airlines is cutting 5% of its annual capacity, with reductions extending through September. Delta Air Lines expects to absorb an additional $2.5 billion in fuel costs this quarter—partly by raising fares and partly by trimming capacity by ~3.5%. Delta CEO Ed Bastian remarked: "Any route operating near the margin—or failing to meet revenue expectations—will be subject to re-evaluation. This will be a test for the entire industry." Lufthansa has taken the most aggressive action this week. Under dual pressure from ongoing strikes and the escalating fuel crisis, Europe’s largest airline has shut down its regional subsidiary CityLine, grounded 27 CRJ regional jets, and retired some aging wide-body aircraft—including Boeing 747s and Airbus A340s. Group CFO Till Streichert stated: "Given the sharp rise in aviation fuel costs and persistent geopolitical instability, accelerating fleet and capacity adjustments is unavoidable." Its Edelweiss brand has also suspended services to Denver and Seattle. Pressure is mounting across the Asia-Pacific region as well. Qantas has reduced domestic capacity by 5% through end-June, cut trans-Pacific flights, and forecasts an additional fuel expense of approximately A$800 million (US$575 million) in the second half of its fiscal year. Cathay Pacific will reduce flight frequency across the Asia-Pacific region by 2% from mid-May through end-June; its low-cost subsidiary HK Express plans cuts of up to 6%.

Lufthansa Jets Told to Carry Extra Fuel into Frankfurt as Supplies Tighten, Bild Reports

Oct 14, 2026

Lufthansa has instructed pilots to carry extra fuel to Frankfurt amid tightening supplies caused by low Rhine water levels and pipeline maintenance, though flight cancellations are not currently expected.

reuters

Lufthansa Jets Told to Carry Extra Fuel into Frankfurt as Supplies Tighten, Bild Reports

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