{"text":[[{"start":10.85,"text":"Lufthansa has cancelled 20,000 flights between May and October to save fuel, in one of the largest cuts by global airlines as jet fuel prices double following the Iran war. "}],[{"start":22.2,"text":"The German carrier cancelled about 120 daily flights from Monday and said it would drop unprofitable routes from Munich and Frankfurt until the end of the summer season, which runs to mid-October. "}],[{"start":34.2,"text":"“In total, 20,000 short-haul flights will be removed from the schedule through October, equivalent to approximately 40,000 metric tonnes of jet fuel, the price of which has doubled since the outbreak of the Iran conflict,” Lufthansa said on Tuesday."}],[{"start":48.25,"text":"The exact plan for the summer months would be published in “late April or early May” and include “optimisations to the short-haul offering for the entire summer season, thereby ensuring schedule stability for the flight plan period”, it added. "}],[{"start":61.8,"text":"The cuts were confirmed as European transport ministers met on Tuesday to discuss plans to prevent the region running short of jet fuel, after the International Energy Agency warned Europe had less than six weeks of supplies remaining."}],[{"start":75.95,"text":"The EU was exploring whether it could source an alternative American jet fuel not routinely used in Europe, and might allow airlines to take on larger amounts of fuel outside the region, EU transport commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas said. It might also waive some requirements for airlines to use take-off slots at airports which are designed to prevent airlines from failing to use available capacity, he added."}],[{"start":101.45,"text":"The European Commission on Wednesday will announce plans to better monitor jet fuel stocks and potentially distribute them between member states."}],[{"start":109.45,"text":"“In case this crisis continues, we are ready to intervene and make things more flexible for the airlines,” Tzitzikostas said on Tuesday. "}],[{"start":117.10000000000001,"text":"Airlines across the world have been cutting flights or raising prices to combat a sharp rise in jet fuel prices, which have soared following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz."}],[{"start":127.10000000000001,"text":"Delta Air Lines this month announced it would try to recoup $1bn of costs by cutting unprofitable routes, about 3.5 per cent of its total network. Like other US carriers, Delta does not hedge against fuel price rises and has been left more exposed to global price increases than its European counterparts. "}],[{"start":146.85000000000002,"text":"Asian carriers including Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific, Malaysia’s Air Asia X and Air New Zealand have cut routes to save fuel, while dozens of airlines across the world have introduced fuel surcharges or raised ticket prices to try and offset rising bills."}],[{"start":162.55,"text":"Even European carriers that have hedged jet fuel have been hit. EasyJet warned last week of a larger than expected loss in the winter months because of fuel costs, while Virgin Atlantic said it would struggle to return to a profit this year despite raising prices."}],[{"start":185,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1776820479_7464.mp3"}