Business · Companies · 9 hrs ago
Eurowings cuts winter flights and considers short-time work
Eurowings is cutting flights and considering short-time work for employees in Germany this winter.
The Lufthansa-owned airline says higher kerosene prices linked to the Iran war are driving up costs across the aviation industry.
Eurowings estimates its fuel bill will be almost €250 million higher this year than planned.
The airline plans to reduce its winter schedule by about 5%, including recently announced routes from Cologne and Stuttgart to Dubai and some individual flights elsewhere.
It is discussing temporary short-time work with Germany’s Federal Employment Agency, but has not said how many employees could be affected.
The union ver.di wants any state payments topped up by the company.
Eurowings is also planning other savings, including about 100 fewer administrative jobs by the end of 2028.
Eurowings is considering temporary short-time work for its German flight operations during winter 2026/27 as kerosene costs rise.
The Lufthansa subsidiary is in talks with Germany’s Federal Employment Agency about whether short-time work is possible.
The airline is cutting its winter schedule by about five percent, including the new routes from Cologne and Stuttgart to Dubai.
It says further capacity cuts will affect individual flights rather than entire routes.
The union ver.di wants a say in how short-time work is arranged and says any agency payments should be topped up.
- Who
- Eurowings, a Lufthansa subsidiary, is considering short-time work for its employees.
- What
- It is reviewing temporary short-time work and cutting flights from its winter schedule.
- When
- Winter 2026/27. The company announced the measures on 16 October 2026.
- Where
- The short-time work review concerns Eurowings’ German flight operations. Flights from Cologne and Stuttgart to Dubai are among those affected.
- Why
- Eurowings cites sharply higher kerosene prices linked to the Iran war and says some flights are not profitable at current costs.
Eurowings management
ver.di
Response to cost pressures
Eurowings management
Eurowings is reviewing temporary short-time work and reducing its winter flight schedule because of high kerosene costs.
ver.di
ver.di wants a say in how short-time work is arranged and says any payments from the Federal Employment Agency should be topped up.
Reasoning
Eurowings management
The company says higher fuel costs are widening the gap between income and expenses in the difficult winter months.
ver.di
The union points to Lufthansa’s current profits as a reason to supplement any agency payments.
Eurowings announced additional flights to Dubai from Cologne/Bonn and Stuttgart.
Eurowings informed employees in writing about the possible short-time work.
Eurowings confirmed it was considering short-time work and cutting flights from its winter programme.
- Possible short-time work
- German flight operations, winter 2026/27
- Winter schedule reduction
- About 5%
- Extra kerosene costs
- Almost €250 million above plan for Eurowings in 2026
- Routes being removed
- Cologne/Bonn–Dubai and Stuttgart–Dubai
- Further capacity cuts
- Individual flight frequencies, not whole routes
5 sources
Eurowings streicht Flüge und prüft Kurzarbeit
Verbindungen fallen weg: Eurowings erwägt wegen hoher Kerosinkosten Kurzarbeit
Luftfahrt: Eurowings prüft Kurzarbeit wegen hoher Kerosinkosten
Energiekrise: Eurowings prüft Kurzarbeit wegen hoher Kerosinkosten
Eurowings prüft Kurzarbeit: Kerosin-Krise bei Lufthansa-Tochter
What people are saying
We are therefore currently examining whether the requirements for temporary short-time work in German flight operations are met in winter.
Further capacity cuts do not affect routes as such, but individual frequencies across the entire Eurowings network.
For Eurowings alone, this means almost 250 million euros more in kerosene costs than planned in the current year – a huge sum.