United Airlines will reduce about 5% of its planned flights in the short term as surging jet fuel prices, fuelled by the Middle East conflict, put pressure on operating costs, Reuters reported.
Chief Executive Scott Kirby said the current price environment could add as much as US$11 billion to the airline’s annual fuel bill if oil climbs to US$175 per barrel and remains elevated until 2027.
The airline is cutting roughly three percentage points of capacity during off-peak periods in the second and third quarters. It has also suspended flights to Ben Gurion International Airport and Dubai International Airport, while additional reductions will come from scaling back operations at Chicago O’Hare International Airport following planned summer flight cuts by the Federal Aviation Administration.
Kirby added that the carrier still expects to restore its full schedule by the fall, assuming fuel prices stabilise.
