Edelweiss canceled its summer Seattle-Zurich flights due to Middle East conflict, fuel costs and lower demand. Passengers will be rebooked or refunded.
SEATTLE — The airline Edelweiss canceled its direct route from Seattle to Zurich, Switzerland over the war in the Middle East and the rising cost of jet fuel.
Edelweiss said Thursday it made adjustments to its North American flight schedule for this summer, ending its service to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Denver. It will also reduce the frequency of flights to Las Vegas.
It will also not operate flights to Muscat and Salalah, Oman this winter.
The airline cited the geopolitical situation, particularly conflict in the Middle East, fuel prices and declining demand for certain destinations in the U.S. as reasons for the cancellations.
Passengers who had flights booked for this summer will be rebooked primarily on other Lufthansa hubs or refunded, the airline said.
Edelweiss just launched the seasonal summer flights from Seattle to Zurich last year, providing twice weekly flights. Seattle was Edelweiss’ fourth destination in the U.S.
The war in Iran has caused energy prices to skyrocket as the closure of the Strait of Hormuz blocked oil transports from getting to their destinations.
Iran said Friday morning that the strait is fully open to shipping traffic, which would allow oil tankers to leave the Persian Gulf. Oil prices dropped 10% following the announcement, although it’s not clear if that will lead to a sustained drop in gas and fuel prices.
The cost of jet fuel has caused airlines to raise prices on everything from tickets and checked bags to seat selection to offset the volatile prices.
Alaska Airlines, Delta, United, American Airlines and JetBlue all increased checked baggage fees. International airlines like Emirates, Lufthansa and KLM have adjusted fares to keep up with rising costs.
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