HONG KONG (Reuters): Cathay Pacific Airways said on Saturday it will cut some flights from mid-May until the end of June, citing soaring jet fuel costs triggered by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
The airline will cancel about 2% of its scheduled passenger flights from May 16 to June 30, 2026, while its budget arm HK Express will cut about 6% from May 11, it said.
The carrier said the suspension of its passenger services to Dubai and Riyadh will stay in place until June 30.
Last month, Cathay's CEO Ronald Lam said the Hong Kong-based airline would press ahead with plans to expand passenger capacity by 10% this year, pointing to strong demand for long-haul flights to North America, Europe and Australia after the Iran war cut traffic through the Middle East.
Beyond June, Cathay Pacific and HK Express plan to operate all their scheduled passenger flights, Cathay said in the statement.
U.S. President Donald Trump's two-week ceasefire with Iran is unlikely to bring quick relief to the global aviation industry, executives said this week.
Industry officials warned that jet fuel supplies will remain tight and costly for months, even if Iran reopens the Strait of Hormuz.
(Reporting by Anusha Shah in Bengaluru; Editing by Jan Harvey) -- Reuters
