Chinese airlines shed weight, add flights over Russia to trim fuel costs amid Iran war | South China Morning Post

VirtualRichDream · 2026-04-03T07:13:57+00:00

Chinese airlines are implementing cost-saving measures to address rising oil prices from the Middle East conflict, including stricter weight control, optimized fuel planning, and operational changes. These adjustments aim to preserve margins amid increasing fuel costs.

VirtualRichDream

2026-04-03 07:13:57

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From controlling the weight of aircraft to sending more flights to Europe via Russian airspace, Chinese airlines have adopted a range of measures in response to the surge in oil prices resulting from the Middle East conflict that threatens to crimp their razor-thin margins.

A number of carriers, including China Eastern Airlines, have been enforcing more precise and complex cost management measures in recent weeks to save fuel, according to industry insiders.

They include stricter load and weight control, taxiing on one engine instead of two, and increased optimisation of fuel load planning. Pilots are also told to fly higher while cruising, because thinner air can reduce aerodynamic drag and fuel burn. Some airlines have even removed unessential items like in-flight magazines from their planes.

“Small per-flight savings, even insignificant amounts like 50 to 100kg (110 to 220lbs) of fuel, can add up … if you multiply them by thousands of flights per week,” a pilot with budget operator Spring Airlines said. “This can mean tens of millions of yuan in savings.”

Fuel prices are continuing to soar amid shock waves from the US-Israel war on Iran, which has entered its fifth week, with Tehran effectively blockading the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic shipping chokepoint that handles about a fifth of global oil flows.

The average price of jet fuel for the week ending March 27 was US$195 a barrel, up from US$99.4 a month earlier, according to the International Air Transport Association.

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