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Time and again this year, fuel price concerns have dictated decision-making processes at the top of the airline industry. Primarily, this has been driven by supply chain concerns in the Middle East, amid the ongoing geopolitical tensions in the region. On Thursday, it emerged that 
Lufthansa was engaging in ‘tankering’ to allay fears about fuel supply concerns, but this is driven by factors closer to home.
Specifically, maintenance to a fuel pipeline at its hub at 
Frankfurt Airport (FRA), where it is by far the largest operator, has prompted the German flag carrier and Star Alliance member to instruct its crews to take on more fuel when flying back to Frankfurt. This will ensure that, upon arrival, these aircraft will have to refuel less, or not at all, easing supply pressure. The move mainly affects short-haul flights.
Driven By Pipeline Maintenance
The news was first reported by Germany’s Bild newspaper, which highlighted the fact that, as well as low river levels limiting fuel deliveries by boat, pipeline maintenance is further constraining fuel supplies in Frankfurt. Per Reuters, the airport’s owner and operator has said that “the airport’s operational capability is not affected” due to storage and other supplies, but Lufthansa isn’t taking any chances.
On this front, citing internal memos sent to Lufthansa pilots, Bild notes that certain Frankfurt-bound flights will be instructed to take on extra fuel before flying back to Germany in order to minimize or even eliminate the need to refuel again upon arrival. While this practice applies mainly to short-haul flights, the publication adds that some long-haul flights are involved. It quotes a Lufthansa spokesperson as saying:
“Lufthansa has taken various measures as a precautionary measure to ensure reliable flight operations. This includes (…) refuelling with additional fuel before departure to Frankfurt. Flight cancellations are therefore not to be expected.”
The practice of taking on extra fuel at an outstation in order to ease supply pressures back at base is known as tankering. In recent years, it has been somewhat of a contentious subject in modern European aviation, especially on the short-haul side of things. For instance, Simple Flying reported back in November of 2019 that it “could be responsible for some 901,000 tonnes of additional CO2” a year.
However, in times of short supply, it can be seen as a necessary evil in order to allay fears about fuel supply. In any case, it isn’t as simple as filling the tanks to the brim every time. Rather, Reuters notes that, at least on aircraft from the Airbus A320 series, Lufthansa is capping the extra capacity at eight tons. This, the publication says, will ensure that the tankered aircraft are not so heavy that they can’t be towed.
Furthermore, coverage by the Bild newspaper notes that the extra fuel must not get to a point where the passenger or cargo payload has to be reduced in order to accommodate the tankering. As such, for the time being, passengers and freight forwarders need not worry about the practice having an operational impact on their journeys with Lufthansa. It will certainly be interesting to see how long the situation lasts.
A Tough Year For Lufthansa On The Fuel Front
This is not the first time that Lufthansa has been in the news this year over concerns regarding its fuel supply. For instance, April of 2026 saw it make headlines by cutting some 20,000 summer flights from its schedule as fuel became both scarcer and more expensive amid the US and Israel’s attacks on Iran and the resulting supply chain issues. Once again, these cuts were primarily aimed at short-haul flights.
This news followed its decision to shut down its Lufthansa CityLine regional arm almost overnight earlier in that month. The axing of the brand was seen as a necessary evil in order to protect the wider Lufthansa Group from bigger losses elsewhere, with the carrier noting that many CityLine aircraft were nearing the end of their service lives. You can read more about the math behind this decision here!
