Major European airline becomes first to ground planes amid fuel crisis

They've cited increased kerosene costs

The first airline to ground planes in response to the worsening fuel crisis is Lufthansa, as the German flag carrier announced it will imminently ground up to 27 planes from its regional ‘CityLine’ - a move which has effectively axed its regional division.

Lufthansa announced that it would be accelerating plans to axe the regional carrier, citing rising fuel costs and aging equipment.

The German flag carrier also confirmed that it would also "withdraw four older long-haul Airbus A340-600s from its core brand fleet at the end of its summer flight schedule."

Ahead of the peak summer season, airlines have warned of fuel shortages within weeks and the potential for travel disruption.

Since the US-Israeli war on Iran started in late February, carriers have raised the cost of tickets, introduced fuel surcharges and axed some routes in a bid to save money.

Analysts have warned that further capacity cuts, groundings and surcharges are likely as a result.

On the other hand, Nigerian airlines warned that unless there is a fall in fuel prices, which have risen by around 270% since late February, it could stop flying as soon as Monday.