Despite fears of jet fuel shortages due to the US-Iran conflict, European summer flights are unlikely to face major disruptions. Jet fuel prices have fallen 30% from their peak, and airlines are adapting by increasing output and sourcing from alternative regions.
Ryanair says that unlike others it will not be cancelling summer flights, as it hedged fuel contracts before Iran warBusiness live – latest updatesAirlines that cancel flights because of fuel shortages this summer will still have to compensate passengers under European law, the EU transport commissioner has said.Apostolos Tzitzikostas told the Financial Times that jet fuel prices or shortages did not meet the criteria that protect EU airlines from passenger claims. Continue reading...
UK airlines will be permitted to cancel or consolidate flights this summer under new government plans to conserve jet fuel amid ongoing Middle East disruptions. The legislation, announced Sunday, allows airlines to return allocated airport slots without losing them for the following season, enabling advance cancellations of underperforming routes. Flights must be cancelled at least two weeks in advance. The UK imports about 65% of its jet fuel, much from the Middle East, with the Strait of Hormuz closed since early March and some calculations showing just weeks of European supplies remaining.
Lufthansa will cut 20,000 short-haul flights this summer due to doubled jet fuel prices since the US-Israel war with Iran began. The conflict has disrupted Middle Eastern fuel production and transportation, with the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed. Other airlines including KLM-France and Delta have also reduced flights or raised ticket prices. Europe imports about 50% of its jet fuel from the Gulf region, and the IEA warned last week the continent could face shortages.
Lufthansa announces 20,000 short-haul flight cuts for summer 2026, retiring its loss-making CityLine fleet of 27 aircraft to save on jet fuel costs that have more than doubled. The cuts represent 1% of available seat kilometres and will save 40,000 tons of fuel until October. The airline cites the blocking of the Strait of Hormuz cutting off Middle East oil supplies, with the IEA warning Europe has only six weeks of jet fuel reserves remaining.
Aer Lingus is cancelling approximately 500 flights from its summer schedule, representing about 2% of overall services, citing mandatory aircraft maintenance. Routes affected include Dublin to Amsterdam, Athens, Berlin, Faro, Zurich, London Heathrow, Manchester, Birmingham, and Edinburgh. The cancellations come amid global jet fuel supply concerns after the IEA warned Europe has roughly six weeks of fuel reserves, with the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed by Iran. Travel journalist Simon Calder suggests fuel costs doubling has made some routes unprofitable, while IALPA President Mark Tighe attributes the cuts to pilot shortages.
