IndiGo, Air India, Emirates, Lufthansa among global carriers to cut flights as costs surgeLast updated: June 05, 2026 | 11:354 MIN READTravellers move through Washington Dulles International Airport on May 22, 2026, in Dulles. Image used for illustrative purposes. AFP The crisis is no longer limited to smaller or financially weaker airlines. The disruption is now global in scale.Industry estimates show airlines worldwide have removed more than 75,000 flights from summer 2026 schedules. Alongside Emirates, carriers including Lufthansa, KLM, IndiGo, Air India, and Norse Atlantic Airways have all cut services or suspended routes.Operational stabilityDubai’s Emirates — widely regarded as one of the world’s most resilient long-haul carriers — has trimmed operations as the regional conflict reshapes aviation economics. According to an AGBI report citing data from aviation analytics firm Cirium, Emirates has reduced its June 2026 flight schedule by up to 16 per cent, removing roughly 480,000 to 500,000 seats from the market.While analysts say Emirates remains better positioned than most rivals because of its large widebody fleet, deep codeshare partnerships and secured fuel supply arrangements through 2028, the cuts underline how deeply the conflict is affecting airline planning worldwide.The wider message for the industry is becoming increasingly clear: airlines are prioritising operational stability over aggressive expansion.“This is a season of disciplined consolidation, not growth,” said Linus Benjamin Bauer, Founder of BAA and Partners. “The smart carriers are protecting their core network and schedule integrity rather than chasing frequency.”Summer travel economicsThe ongoing conflict has transformed what should have been a peak summer recovery season into a period dominated by crisis management.Airlines are now facing a triple pressure point:soaring jet fuel prices,sudden airspace closures,and sharply longer flight paths around conflict zones.According to Bauer, avoiding high-risk airspace is adding up to five hours to some flights, dramatically increasing fuel burn and disrupting aircraft utilisation.“In peak season that’s doubly painful — you’re burning more fuel per rotation at the exact moment you’d normally be maximising aircraft utilisation,” he said. Longer routes also create crew-duty complications and reduce the number of flights airlines can operate daily with the same aircraft.Jet fuel prices have surged to around $4.50-$4.90 per gallon — almost double pre-war levels — as concerns mount over supply flows through the Strait of Hormuz.That cost escalation is now forcing airlines to cut marginal or long-haul routes first.IndiGo’s Europe ambitions slow Among the clearest examples is IndiGo, which has rapidly expanded internationally over the past two years.This week, the airline announced temporary suspensions on six international routes including Langkawi, Krabi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Siem Reap between July and September.The move comes just days after IndiGo also confirmed it would discontinue its Manchester service from August 31 and return one of its leased Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners to Norse Atlantic Airways.The airline had leased the aircraft to accelerate its entry into Europe before deliveries of its own Airbus A350 fleet begin in 2027. However, the economics of long-haul flying have deteriorated sharply since those plans were drawn up.IndiGo cited geopolitical tensions, rising aviation turbine fuel prices, foreign exchange volatility and severe airspace constraints as reasons operating costs had become “considerably higher than originally envisaged”.Despite the cuts, IndiGo will still operate more than 1,800 international flights weekly.Air India also scaling backAir India is reducing its international operations by 27 per cent and up to 22 per cent of domestic flights between June and August.Services to destinations across North America, Europe, Australia and Asia are being reduced or temporarily suspended as longer routings and fuel costs hit profitability.Air India said the adjustments are intended to improve “network stability” and reduce last-minute disruption for passengers.The carrier will nevertheless continue operating more than 1,200 international flights every month.Global aviation under pressureBauer said the biggest risk is no longer isolated incidents, but the sheer frequency of disruptions.“The industry has the muscle memory to absorb individual shocks, but a collapsing ceasefire raises the frequency of those shocks — and frequency, not severity, is what erodes a summer schedule,” he said.For travellers, that means the peak holiday season ahead could bring continued schedule changes, reroutings and cancellations across multiple regions.What about demand?Passenger demand took a beating in April. The International Air Transport Association (IATA), which is hosting its annual general meeting this weekend, indicated weak forward bookings in its April-May passenger demand report. “The 46.6 per cent fall in demand for carriers in the Middle East due to war in the region was so acute that it dragged overall demand down -3.4 per cent," said Willie Walsh, Director General of IATA in its monthly passenger demand forecast. "The situation for air transport remains highly volatile. The cost of jet fuel more than doubled in April, which is pushing airfares up. Forward schedule data is showing a reduced offering in the coming months, indicating that airlines are balancing high fuel costs and weaker demand.” said Walsh. Travel agents have also indicated that while demand has improved considerably compared to the levels seen immediately after the war broke out late February, summer travel demand is relatively cooler. Travel agents Gulf News spoke to said travellers are "choosing to stay in the UAE" and enjoy local stycation offers instead of international travel. Dhanusha is a Chief Reporter at Gulf News in Dubai, with her finger firmly on the pulse of UAE, regional, and global aviation. She dives deep into how airlines and airports operate, expand, and embrace the latest tech.