Lufthansa Group has announced a series of network adjustments for summer 2026, reducing capacity slightly while restructuring its European operations to address rising fuel costs.
Capacity cuts and fuel savings
The airline group confirmed it has reduced overall capacity by less than 1% in available seat kilometres (ASK), primarily by cancelling unprofitable short-haul routes at its major hubs in Frankfurt and Munich.
According to the company, around 20,000 flights will be removed from the schedule through October. Lufthansa Group stated that these reductions are expected to save more than 40,000 metric tonnes of jet fuel. The group said fuel prices have doubled following the Iran conflict.
Initial short-term adjustments, including around 120 daily cancellations, have already been implemented through 31 May, with affected passengers notified.
Network consolidation across six hubs
Lufthansa Group said the changes form part of a broader effort to consolidate its European network across its six hubs: Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Vienna, Brussels, and Rome.
While some routes have been cut, the group said “it is expanding services from Zurich, Vienna and Brussels, aiming to maintain connectivity across its long-haul network.”
The consolidation is also tied to the group’s hub airlines, including Lufthansa Airlines, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and ITA Airways.
The group confirmed several route suspensions from Frankfurt, including services to Bydgoszcz and Rzeszów in Poland, and Stavanger in Norway.
In addition, ten routes are being confirmed through alternative hubs within the network. Lufthansa said these changes are intended to improve efficiency while maintaining overall network coverage.
Lufthansa Group stated that revised medium-term route planning will be published in late April or early May. These updates will include further optimisation of short-haul services for the remainder of the summer season.
The airline added that it expects a largely stable fuel supply in the coming weeks, supported by procurement strategies and fuel price hedging measures.
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