KLM, Turkish Airlines, and Lufthansa decide to cut over 20,000 flights due to fuel costs

Disruption overview

European airlines including KLM, Transavia, Turkish Airlines, and Lufthansa are cutting summer schedules after jet fuel costs in Europe rise. More than 20,160 flights have already been removed, including 20,000 across the Lufthansa Group and 160 KLM flights at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, while Turkish Airlines is suspending 18 international routes from May and June 2026. Some of those cuts start on 3 May 2026 and last until 25 November 2026. The changes come from airlines' own response to higher operating costs.

Disruption details

Summer travel plans are already being reshaped as KLM, Transavia, Turkish Airlines, and Lufthansa pull flights because jet fuel prices have surged. KLM has removed 160 flights to and from Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam for May, Turkish Airlines is suspending 18 international routes from May and June 2026, and Lufthansa Group grounded 20,000 flights earlier in April. For passengers, this means fewer seats, sudden schedule changes, and a tougher search for alternatives just weeks before the busiest holiday period.

These changes comes from a rise in operating costs. Several carriers now say parts of their summer schedules no longer make financial sense at current jet fuel prices, and some are also adding fuel surcharges.

Here's what has changed so far:

• Transavia will cancel an unspecified number of flights between May and June 2026, and passengers are being offered a refund, voucher, or rebooking within 24 hours of a flight being pulled.

• KLM has removed 160 flights into and out of Schiphol Airport for May, which is just under 1% of its planned European program.

• Turkish Airlines is making the deepest route cuts, suspending 18 international routes from May and June 2026 and reducing weekly frequencies on Sarajevo and Zagreb services.

• Lufthansa Group grounded 20,000 flights across its network earlier in April as part of a fuel-saving drive.

• SunExpress introduced a temporary €10 fuel surcharge on tickets issued from 1 April 2026 for travel beginning 1 May 2026.

Turkish Airlines' route cuts stretch from Europe into Africa, Central Asia, and the Middle East. The suspended services include Istanbul flights to Aqaba, Billund, Bissau, Ferghana, Freetown, Havana, Hurghada, Juba, Kinshasa, Kirkuk, Leipzig/Halle, Libreville, Luanda, Lusaka, Monrovia, Najaf, Pointe-Noire, and Turkistan. The airline is also trimming weekly frequencies on Sarajevo services from July 2026 and on Zagreb services from June 2026.

One of the clearest examples is Luanda. Separate regulatory filings show Turkish Airlines will pause that route from 3 May 2026 until 25 November 2026. Even though the carrier recently added 15 weekly London Stansted rotations, the broader picture is still a smaller network, not an expanding one.

That means the impact won't stop at one hub. Schiphol Airport, Istanbul Airport, London Stansted Airport, Leipzig/Halle Airport, and multiple regional gateways are all likely to feel the effect. The confirmed cuts already add up to more than 20,160 flights based on Lufthansa and KLM alone, and that total doesn't include Transavia's unspecified cancellations.

Airlines are responding in different ways. Transavia says passengers whose flights are canceled can choose a refund, voucher, or rebooking within 24 hours of the change. KLM says the flights it removed are no longer economically viable at current prices. SunExpress, the leisure joint venture between Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa, has also added a temporary €10 fuel surcharge on tickets issued from 1 April 2026 for travel starting on 1 May 2026.

If your trip is caught up in these changes, it's worth acting quickly. When summer schedules are already tight, rebooking choices can narrow fast after a cancellation is announced. Keep any emails, booking updates, vouchers, and receipts so you have a clear record of what changed and when.

If your flight was canceled at short notice or arrived more than 3 hours late, it's worth checking what applies in your case.

If your flight is canceled, your airline should also offer a rerouting option or a refund. If you're left waiting at the airport, you should still receive care such as food, drinks, and accommodation when needed.

If you're flying with KLM, Transavia, Turkish Airlines, Lufthansa, or SunExpress this summer, check your flight status early and keep any messages from the airline. You can also check your compensation with AirHelp in just 2 minutes using our free flight checker.

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