Holidaymakers heading to Spain, Portugal, Italy, France and Turkey this summer have been warned of possible flight disruption as airlines cut thousands of services amid growing fears over jet fuel shortages. Millions of Britons travel to Europe during the peak summer season, alongside Turkey, which is one of the most popular destinations for UK tourists.
But experts are now warning that passengers could face higher fares, reduced schedules and possible disruption after airlines began cutting thousands of flights worldwide due to soaring aviation fuel costs linked to the escalating crisis in the Middle East. Several airlines, including Germany’s Lufthansa, have already slashed schedules in a bid to save fuel, with at least 13,000 flights cancelled globally this month alone - representing around two million fewer seats.
According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, the number of airline seats available worldwide in May dropped from 132 million to 130 million between April 10 and April 21. The firm warned that if the conflict involving Iran continues and disruption around the Strait of Hormuz worsens, deeper cuts could follow in June.
Cirium said: “The longer the crisis goes on, the more cuts should be expected.”
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important shipping routes for oil and fuel supplies, and its closure has reportedly cut off around 30 per cent of Europe’s aviation fuel shipments.
The rush to secure alternative fuel supplies from regions including the United States and West Africa has also reportedly caused prices to double.
British airlines are among those facing growing pressure, with easyJet and British Airways already warning that rising fuel costs are likely to push ticket prices higher.
A separate analysis by French bank Société Générale suggested that if only half of the lost fuel supply is replaced, aviation fuel reserves could fall to critical levels by June - potentially raising the risk of airport-specific shortages and further flight cancellations.
Bryan Terry, managing director of Alton Aviation Consulting, warned that more airlines are expected to announce cuts in the coming weeks.
He told The i Paper: “We anticipate additional cuts, particularly from carriers that have yet to make announcements.
“Every airline will be paring schedules, dropping the most unprofitable routes and reducing frequencies on busy routes where capacity exceeds demand.”
Mr Terry added: “Airlines typically adjust schedules on a four-to-eight-week lag after a supply shock,” meaning decisions on June and July flights are likely to be made within days.
Experts have increasingly warned that the UK could be among the countries hardest hit because of limited refining capacity and a reliance on imported aviation fuel.
However, the Government insisted there is currently no immediate shortage.
A spokesperson said: “UK airlines are clear that they are not currently seeing a shortage of jet fuel. Aviation fuel is typically bought in advance and airports and suppliers keep stocks of bunkered fuel to support their resilience.”
