Speaking to employees on 1 April, Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr outlined a two-phase contingency plan to cope with surging kerosene prices and route disruptions linked to the widening Iran conflict. The carrier has asked fleet planners to identify 20 aircraft—mainly older A340s and A319s—that could be parked within weeks, reducing capacity by about 2.5 percent. If the downturn deepens, up to 40 jets may be mothballed.
![Lufthansa prepares to ground up to 40 jets as Iran war drives fuel costs]()
Whether you're rebooking travelers at short notice or arranging alternative routings, VisaHQ can streamline the visa and travel-document side of the equation. Our Germany portal (https://www.visahq.com/germany/) lets travel managers verify entry rules, process e-visas and arrange courier service for passports in a few clicks—helpful when Lufthansa’s capacity squeeze pushes you toward partner carriers or unexpected stopovers.
Although 80 percent of the group’s 2026 fuel needs are hedged, Spohr warned of €1.5 billion in additional costs for the remaining volumes. Ticket prices will rise accordingly; corporate travel buyers should expect short-notice surcharge updates across Lufthansa, Swiss and Austrian networks. Operationally, Lufthansa is rerouting many east-bound flights to avoid Iranian airspace, adding block time and crew costs. Freight clients are already facing capacity caps. Spohr said the group will accelerate retirement of four-engine types and push SAF blending at its Frankfurt hub to mitigate long-term exposure. For mobility managers, the announcement signals tighter seat availability ex-Germany for the summer peak and underscores the importance of holding multi-carrier agreements to secure inventory.
Whether you're rebooking travelers at short notice or arranging alternative routings, VisaHQ can streamline the visa and travel-document side of the equation. Our Germany portal (https://www.visahq.com/germany/) lets travel managers verify entry rules, process e-visas and arrange courier service for passports in a few clicks—helpful when Lufthansa’s capacity squeeze pushes you toward partner carriers or unexpected stopovers.
Although 80 percent of the group’s 2026 fuel needs are hedged, Spohr warned of €1.5 billion in additional costs for the remaining volumes. Ticket prices will rise accordingly; corporate travel buyers should expect short-notice surcharge updates across Lufthansa, Swiss and Austrian networks. Operationally, Lufthansa is rerouting many east-bound flights to avoid Iranian airspace, adding block time and crew costs. Freight clients are already facing capacity caps. Spohr said the group will accelerate retirement of four-engine types and push SAF blending at its Frankfurt hub to mitigate long-term exposure. For mobility managers, the announcement signals tighter seat availability ex-Germany for the summer peak and underscores the importance of holding multi-carrier agreements to secure inventory.
