KLM cancels 160 flights due to fuel shortage (opens in new tab)

(theguardian.com)

56 pointsslow_typist24d ago16 comments

16 comments

News outlets around the world continue to misreport this particular phenomena. Demand for air travel is highly elastic. As airlines raise prices to cover the increased cost of fuel, they are cutting capacity to ensure their load factors remain in the profitable range.

This post links to the incorrect article. From the correct one [0]:

> The Dutch airline said: "This concerns a limited number of flights within Europe that, due to rising kerosene costs, are currently no longer financially viable to operate. There is no kerosene shortage."

[0] https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/apr/16/europe-supp...

ChrisArchitect24d ago

Direct source: https://www.reuters.com/business/klm-cancels-160-flights-com...

davedx24d ago

This really should be bigger news.

guidedlight23d ago

160 flights isn’t really that many, I suspect they are all on commercially marginal routes to begin with.

In my region, quite a few airlines have cut routes citing the fuel crisis. Including Qantas, Virgin Australia, and Air New Zealand. But again, we aren’t seeing widespread cancellations yet.

pseudohadamard23d ago

And they're letting go of employees citing AI. And increasing management perks citing something-or-other, perhaps cosmic rays. The sun rises, the sun sets, the Sun crashes, it is the way of things.

cjbenedikt24d ago

Remember the days when airlines used to hedge their exposure to fuel prices...???

michael199924d ago

You can't really hedge a true shortage. You'll get some money, but you can't pump money into a fuel tank.

davedx24d ago

Euro airlines hedge quite a bit actually - Ryanair is one of the most hedged airlines around. US airlines do it a lot less these days; Delta has their own refinery instead.

Hedging won't make more jet fuel appear though

dnemmers24d ago

It looks like quite a few international airlines (most?) hedge their exposure, and some have even been increasing lately:

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/how-airlines-have-he...

OgsyedIE24d ago

Given that we have the facts about what it is doing to them, can we agree that if Europe doesn't like the existing trajectory of the geopolitical system their only options are to either change it by themselves or compel one or more allies to change it?

yostrovs24d ago

There's also the third option that's usually taken: condemnation of the trajectory.

bayarearefugee24d ago

But if they do that then Donald Trump will call them a weak loser... got any other options for them?

booi24d ago

maybe UN resolution?

whobre23d ago

It is due to the high cost, not shortage.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

16 comments

exidy23d ago

This post links to the incorrect article. From the correct one [0]:

[0] https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/apr/16/europe-supp...

ChrisArchitect24d ago

Direct source: https://www.reuters.com/business/klm-cancels-160-flights-com...

davedx24d ago

This really should be bigger news.

guidedlight23d ago

160 flights isn’t really that many, I suspect they are all on commercially marginal routes to begin with.

In my region, quite a few airlines have cut routes citing the fuel crisis. Including Qantas, Virgin Australia, and Air New Zealand. But again, we aren’t seeing widespread cancellations yet.

pseudohadamard23d ago

And they're letting go of employees citing AI. And increasing management perks citing something-or-other, perhaps cosmic rays. The sun rises, the sun sets, the Sun crashes, it is the way of things.

cjbenedikt24d ago

Remember the days when airlines used to hedge their exposure to fuel prices...???

michael199924d ago

You can't really hedge a true shortage. You'll get some money, but you can't pump money into a fuel tank.

davedx24d ago

Euro airlines hedge quite a bit actually - Ryanair is one of the most hedged airlines around. US airlines do it a lot less these days; Delta has their own refinery instead.

Hedging won't make more jet fuel appear though

dnemmers24d ago

It looks like quite a few international airlines (most?) hedge their exposure, and some have even been increasing lately:

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/how-airlines-have-he...

OgsyedIE24d ago

yostrovs24d ago

There's also the third option that's usually taken: condemnation of the trajectory.

bayarearefugee24d ago

But if they do that then Donald Trump will call them a weak loser... got any other options for them?

booi24d ago

maybe UN resolution?

whobre23d ago

It is due to the high cost, not shortage.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse