Jetstar axes some New Zealand flights amid fuel price surges

Via RNZ

Jetstar has axed a number of New Zealand flights as the war in the Middle East drives up the price of jet fuel.

A Jetstar NZ spokesperson said 12 percent of scheduled services had been impacted, including some services between Auckland and Christchurch as well as Auckland and Wellington, and some international flights between Auckland and Sydney and Auckland and Brisbane.

The changes were temporary, the spokesperson said, due to the rise in jet fuel prices and other rising costs.

All impacted customers had been contacted directly, the spokesperson said, and most had been offered same-day travel.

It comes after Air New Zealand announced it was cancelling four return flights to Samoa.

Air New Zealand said it had nine services to Samoa each week and described the change as "minimal".

It said like other airlines it was dealing with unprecedented volatility with jet fuel prices due to the conflict in the Middle East and was adjusting schedules to manage the impact.

Air New Zealand earlier said that it would cancel around 1100 flights from early March through until early May, but that most passengers would be moved to flights on the same day.

Reuters reports jet fuel prices have soared from US$85-90 per barrel to US$150-200 per barrel in recent days leading to a number of airlines including Air New Zealand increasing fuel surcharges.