Air Canada is grounding its New York JFK runs for the summer, pulling daily flights from Toronto and Montreal starting June 1 and planning to bring them back on Oct. 25. Service to LaGuardia and Newark will keep flying, which means Canadian travelers heading to New York are being steered away from JFK right as peak season hits. The move wipes out several nonstop YYZ–JFK and YUL–JFK options just as demand heats up, with the airline pointing to sharply higher jet fuel costs as the culprit.
As first reported by Bloomberg, the Montreal-based carrier said in an emailed statement that some lower-profitability routes and flights no longer make financial sense at current fuel prices, so it is trimming its summer schedule. Bloomberg noted that the pause specifically hits daily service between Toronto Pearson and Montreal–Trudeau airports and JFK, and that the suspension is set to last until late October.
According to the Associated Press, Air Canada plans to contact affected customers with alternative travel arrangements. AP cited industry data from Argus Media showing the U.S. average price of jet fuel jumping to roughly $4.32 a gallon, up from about $2.50 before hostilities in Iran, and quoted International Energy Agency chief Fatih Birol warning that Europe has “maybe six weeks or so” of jet fuel in reserve.
Industry Reaction: Fees And Route Cuts
Air Canada is not alone in tightening its belt. Airlines across North America have already started passing higher fuel costs on to travelers and trimming flying that does not pull its weight. Several U.S. carriers hiked checked-bag fees in early April and are rethinking off-peak schedules. Coverage from NBC Bay Area notes that Delta expects about $2 billion in additional fuel expense this quarter, and that airlines are cutting or shifting capacity when routes stop penciling out.
What Travelers Should Know
If you hold an Air Canada ticket to JFK between June 1 and Oct. 25, the airline says it will reach out with rebooking choices or a refund, and passengers can also manage their trips through Air Canada’s website or call centers. Travelers heading to New York from Toronto or Montreal may find themselves redirected to nonstop flights into LaGuardia or Newark, or hunting for one-stop options on other airlines as airports and carriers reshuffle summer demand, according to the Associated Press.
Why Fuel Prices Matter
Disruptions near the Strait of Hormuz and higher refining margins have pushed oil and jet fuel prices sharply higher, putting airlines in a bind wherever fares and yields cannot cover the spike. A recent roundup by The Week shows carriers responding with a mix of fee hikes, fuel surcharges and targeted route suspensions in an effort to protect margins ahead of the busy summer travel season.
For Queens travelers and JFK gate planners, Air Canada’s suspension is an immediate summer shuffle of capacity. Whether those flights ultimately return on schedule will hinge on what happens in the fuel markets and how the conflict involving Iran evolves. Air Canada and other airlines could still tweak their timetables further if jet fuel prices stay volatile or finally calm down as summer approaches.
