ISTANBUL

Scandinavian Airlines (AAS) will cancel at least 1,000 departures in April as surging jet fuel prices linked to the Iran war put mounting pressure on operating costs, CEO Anko van der Werff told Swedish business daily Dagens Industri on Tuesday.

The airline has already begun cutting a few hundred flights in March and expects a broader round of cancellations after Easter, when seasonal demand typically weakens. Van der Werff said the reductions should be seen in the context of SAS operating around 800 flights per day, describing the measures as significant but not drastic.

According to the CEO, the sharp rise in oil prices has increased costs by slightly more than 500 Swedish kronor ($53.8) for an average SAS flight, while a transatlantic trip now costs roughly 2,700 kronor ($290.6) more to operate.

He said jet fuel prices had doubled in the span of 10 days, causing an immediate shock for airlines.

According to the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) latest fuel price monitor, global average jet fuel prices have surged 82.8% over the past month to $175 per barrel, sharply increasing cost pressures on airlines.

Fuel represents roughly 25% to 30% of flight costs, and SAS faces limited room to absorb the increase, especially given that a large share of Europe’s jet fuel supply comes from Gulf producers.

Van der Werff said destinations served several times a day would likely bear the brunt of the cuts, as airlines can more easily trim frequency on those routes. SAS has also suspended services to Tel Aviv and Beirut, while the planned launch of a new direct route between Copenhagen and Dubai in October could be delayed.

The carrier has already started adjusting ticket prices through a fuel surcharge introduced last week, though Van der Werff said existing bookings would not face retroactive increases. Passengers yet to book summer travel, however, may see higher fares if the crisis continues.

He said SAS hopes the disruption will ease by May or June, warning that a prolonged conflict would have much broader consequences for the world economy beyond aviation.

The executive also cautioned that the impact could extend beyond fuel, as higher oil prices raise supplier costs across the aviation sector. He added that some suppliers in the Middle East may have to prioritize staff evacuations, potentially causing disruptions that outlast the conflict itself.

Drawing on more than two decades in the aerospace industry, van der Werff said companies should prepare for a prolonged period of instability rather than assume a quick return to normal.