Lufthansa, Germany's largest airline, is facing serious operational challenges due to global energy market instability. According to The Financial Times, the airline has decided to cancel approximately 20,000 short-haul flights between May and October of this year. The scale of the reductions is staggering: the carrier will operate approximately 120 fewer flights daily than previously planned. The main impact will be felt on its route network from its Frankfurt and Munich hubs, where the company is forced to eliminate its least profitable routes. This measure is a necessary response to the sharp rise in aviation fuel prices, which have doubled amid the protracted armed conflict in Iran and the de facto blockade of key resource supply routes.

The economic viability of short-haul flights has been called into question by the critical rise in kerosene prices. Aviation industry analysts note that current market conditions make operating medium- and short-haul aircraft unprofitable, as refueling costs exceed potential revenue from ticket sales. The situation is further complicated by the fact that a significant portion of European jet fuel relies on deliveries through the Strait of Hormuz, which is currently blocked as a result of the diplomatic and military standoff in the Persian Gulf. Experts warn that if the blockade of the strategic waterway is not lifted soon, Europe could face a severe fuel shortage as early as May, threatening the functioning of the continent's entire transportation system.