United Airlines Warns Customers of Potential Flight Cancellations Due to Rising Fuel Costs
United Airlines Warns Customers of Potential Flight Cancellations Due to Rising Fuel Costs
Kevin HarrishWed, September 16, 2026 at 8:21 PM UTC
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Back in February, the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran, igniting concerns about the global fuel economy and sending oil prices surging. This has caused a particular problem for commercial airlines as the price of jet fuel has soared. Now, United Airlines is warning customers about some of the impacts.
In the wake of the surging fuel prices, United has warned that some flights currently scheduled for later in the year will not take off as planned as the airline looks to cut some of its less profitable routes.
Impending Flight Cancellations
During a recent appearance at the Morgan Stanley conference, United Airlines Chief Financial Officer Michael Leskinen warned that some flights scheduled for December would not operate as planned, as increased fuel costs have made these routes less attractive for the airline.
“We are not flying to maximize market share. We’re flying to maximize profitability and free cash generation,” Leskinen told the Morgan Stanley conference, via Reuters.
So if you currently have December travel booked through United, it might be worth revisiting your travel plans.
If fuel prices remain high, Leskinen said that the airline could make further adjustments to its flight schedule in the first quarter and into 2027, which could mean more flight cuts.
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This comes after United and other airlines throughout the industry have already raised prices on their fares and add-ons, like checked bags.
Not the Only Warning
Chevron CEO Mike Wirth has also issued a warning to Americans about what they can expect from oil and gasoline prices.
Wirth explained that over the past several months, the oil industry has had some methods and strategies to mitigate the impacts of the oil shortage. Now, he warns, they’re essentially out of options.
“All these mechanisms helped to mitigate the price and supply risk,” Wirth said Friday at an energy conference in Austin, Texas, via The Wall Street Journal. “Those have largely now played out, and we don’t have nearly the buffers in the system that we did when it began.”
Wirth warned that he does not foresee oil prices going back down anytime soon, which will obviously mean that airline prices will remain high.
“I wish I could tell you that I saw some reason why things would ease, but it’s difficult right now to see that happen,” he said.
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Sep 16, 2026, where it first appeared in the Travel section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: “AOL Money”
