Ryanair warns 10% of summer services may be scrapped as first airline grounds UK flights

A UK airline has scrapped some flights from mid-April to early June following the US and Israeli attacks on Iran, which has sent the price of aviation fuel soaring

A UK airline has cancelled flights due to the impact of the Iran war, while Ryanair is warning that up to 10% of services could be binned.

Aurigny of Guernsey has scrapped some flights from mid-April to early June following the US and Israeli attacks on Iran, which has sent the price of aviation fuel soaring, the Independent reports.

The airline, which links up the Channel Islands with the UK, described the cuts as “proactive measures to address the impact of global instability”, also adding a “temporary fuel adjustment surcharge” of £2 on all new bookings.

Demand for flights has fallen 13% in May, Aurigny has said, leading the airline to cancel some departures to and from Guernsey.

Aurigny’s chief commercial officer, Philip Saunders, told the Independent: “While a small island community, we are not immune from the realities presented by the global travel ecosystem. Current global events are impacting consumer confidence and changing travel behaviours. Furthermore, significant increases in global oil prices are now filtering through to aviation.

“Unfortunately, we have to pass on some of the resulting costs to customers to ensure sustainable air services to and from Guernsey.”

European jet fuel prices hit a record $1,900 per metric ton on Thursday, according to specialized publication Argus. It warned of potential shortfalls in the coming months.

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Argus project that Portugal could run out of jet fuel in four months, Hungary in five, Denmark in six, Italy and Germany in seven, and France and Ireland in eight.

Last week, the chief executive of Ryanair warned that the airline may not be able to run its full summer schedule due to the cost of fuel if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.

Michael O’Leary predicts that European airlines will begin canceling scheduled flights “by the end of April” if the key shipping lane is not opened.

“The Strait of Hormuz has been closed for 30 days. If it remains closed for 60 or 90 days, then we’re all facing an unknown scenario, and we are certainly looking at maybe having to cancel 5%–10% of flights through May, June and July,” he told ITV.

O’Leary explained that airlines won’t be able to choose which routes to cancel as cuts will depend on which airports suffer fuel shortages.

Later speaking to SkyNews, the Ryanair boss added: “Fuel suppliers are constantly looking at the market. We don’t expect any disruption until early May, but if the war continues, we do run the risk of supply disruptions in Europe in May and June, and we hope the war will finish sooner than that and the risk to supply will be eliminated,” he told Sky News.

“We think there is a reasonable risk, some low level, maybe 10% to 25% of our supplies might be at risk through May and June, so like everyone else in this industry, we hope the war ends sooner rather than later.

“If the war finishes by April and the Strait of Hormuz reopens, then there is almost no risk to supply.”