Australian airlines to cancel flights in April-June
- Sydney (15 April)
Three Australian airlines – Qantas, Jetstar, and Virgin Australia – will cancel some domestic and international flights in April-July to manage rapidly increasing fuel costs, the companies announced over the last two days.
Virgin Australia plans to cut its domestic flight capacity by 1%, relative to January-March levels, it told investors on 15 April. The company’s flights to Doha, which it runs with Qatar Airways, remain suspended until mid-June, it added.
On 14 April, Qantas and Jetstar both announced capacity cuts in April-June. Qantas will cut its domestic capacity by 1% and Jetstar will cut its international capacity by 7% over that period, their parent company, Qantas Group, told investors.
The three companies have not revealed the routes affected by their capacity decision. Virgin Australia plans to cut flights on high-frequency routes in May and June to limit travel disruptions.
The Australian Government and jet fuel suppliers are confident about supplies for the rest of April and into May, Qantas said. Suppliers have also assured Virgin Australia of near-term fuel supplies, despite the ongoing, partial closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the company said.
Australia had 28 days of kerosene – a commonly used jet fuel – reserves on 7 April, data from the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment, and Water (DCCEEW) show.
“[Flight cuts are] a reflection of cost, not supply. So this is not about a shortage of jet fuel. This is about the cost of jet fuel, which is way up around the world,” Energy Minister Chris Bowen said at a press conference today.
Jet fuel prices increased from $85/barrel - $90/barrel (A$112/barrel – A$126/barrel) in February to $150/barrel - $200/barrel in early March, according to Air New Zealand. The airline has cut domestic New Zealand and Trans-Tasman flights multiple times since the start of the US-Israeli war in Iran.
By Avinash Govind