Jetstar has announced it is reducing flights between Australia and New Zealand due to the rising cost of jet fuel as a result of the war in the Middle East.
“We have made some temporary changes to our schedule, including due to a rise in jet fuel prices as a result of the conflict in the Middle East and other rising costs,” a Jetstar NZ spokesperson said.
“We are sorry for the inconvenience and thank our customers for their understanding.”
The Qantas-owned airline confirmed that 12 per cent of services on some flights between Auckland and Sydney, and between Auckland and Brisbane, will be impacted from May.
Services within New Zealand, between Auckland and Christchurch, and between Auckland and Wellington, will also be reduced.
Jetstar said all impacted passengers had been contacted directly and most had been offered same-day travel.
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Jetstar’s announcement comes after Air New Zealand also reduced flights earlier this month.
The airline cited “unprecedented volatility in jet fuel prices due to the conflict in the Middle East” as its reason for reducing the number of flights between March 16 and May 3.
“The flights represent 5 per cent of our total domestic and international schedule and are mainly in lower-demand or off-peak times,” Air New Zealand said in a statement.
International airlines affected
In Asia, flights are being cancelled as governments try to manage the global fuel crisis.
Vietnam Airlines plans to cancel more than 20 domestic flights a week because of looming jet fuel shortages, according to the country’s aviation authority.
Starting next month, it will reportedly suspend seven domestic routes and cancel 23 flights a week to conserve fuel.
Vietnamese airlines are also preparing to implement fuel surcharges on international routes.
The President of the Philippines has told Bloomberg News there is a “distinct possibility” of it also grounding planes because of jet fuel shortages.
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