Hong Kong’s airport is set for a shift in volume this summer after airlines quietly swapped jet sizes and reduced scheduled flights to manage costs amid a global fuel crisis and following a jump in economy passenger fares to Europe.

Some airlines told the South China Morning Post they would operate all scheduled flights beyond June after initial consolidation efforts to offset higher jet fuel prices triggered by the Middle Eastern war.

According to data from analytics company Cirium, the aviation industry managed disruptions through capacity changes made months in advance rather than opting for last-minute cancellations.

“The Gulf hubs – principally Dubai and Doha – act as the primary geographic bridges between Asia, Europe and Africa,” independent aviation analyst Jason Li Hanming said.

“A sudden reduction in widebody capacity from these carriers removes the market’s biggest supplies for long-haul travel.”

Qatar Airways, for example, slashed the number of Boeing 777-300ER flights from Hong Kong to Doha slated for May, data showed.

In late February, the airline had scheduled 62 flights for May but had cut that figure to 17 by the end of April, a massive 72.5 per cent reduction, according to the data.