Will my flight be cancelled? What to expect this summer as jet fuel shortage threatens cancellations
MANY families looking to go on holiday this summer are worried that their plans may be spoiled by the ongoing fuel crisis caused by the war in Iran.
Those concerns were powered by the Head of the International Energy Agency Fatih Birol warning that Europe has just six weeks of jet fuel left.
Here’s everything you need to know.
Will my flight be cancelled due to the fuel shortage?
In response to US and Israeli attacks, Iran has closed off the Strait of Hormuz since February 28, a key route for jet fuel out of the Gulf.
This has caused a massive increase in oil prices and resulted in fears of jet fuel shortages.
For example, the price of jet fuel has rapidly surged from £67 ($90) per barrel to a whopping £150 ($200).
With Birol stating there is enough for just six weeks, airports will possibly be dealing with critical fuel shortages by as early as next month.
That would cause travel chaos for Brits heading abroad during the school May half-term holidays and potentially continue into the summer.
An almost certain consequence will be the effect on journeys to long-haul destinations, as airlines may not have enough fuel for the return journey.
Which airlines have cancelled flights already?
British Airways is amongst the airlines that have begun cancelling flights as they have suspended services to the Middle East.
Journeys to the likes of Dubai and Doha have been put on pause for now and are set to resume in July.
However, the airline has announced it will permanently close its service from London Heathrow to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia from April 24, 2026.
Virgin Atlantic announced earlier this month that it has permanently scraped its London flight to Riyadh.
Other airways that have cancelled flights include:
How long will the fuel shortage last?
Sally Gethin, an aviation specialist, spoke on the matter and said the consequences could get severe if the Strait remains closed.
She told the Daily Mail: “The best case scenario would be fares going up and some routes being cancelled.
“The worst case scenario is if this carries on for six to eight weeks and the shortages start really biting. This could pose an existential crisis to airlines – even if they slap on fuel surcharges they still won’t recoup the cost.”
“You could be looking at tens of thousands, potentially hundreds of thousands, of flights being cancelled globally.”
How will this affect my upcoming holiday?
Holidays should not be too seriously impacted as our main tour operators and airlines have hedged their fuel essentially meaning they have purchased their fuel far in advance at a fixed rate.
What could happen, however, is if the jet fuel crisis continues into June, tour operators could potentially start to add a surcharge to the price of holidays.
A limited number of flights may be cancelled but airlines and tour operators will attempt to minimise disruptions by focusing on routes where they have multiple daily flights.
Holidays would only be cancelled if the fco advises against travel to the destination.
This is highly unlikely to happen with any Med destination because there are no safety concerns right now in popular holiday resorts.
However if fuel supplies fall into short supply in Europe this could possibly impact flights and therefore your holiday.
Am I entitled to a refund?
If some or all parts of your getaway are cancelled by the provider, your rights to a refund depend entirely on whether you booked your trip as a package holiday (purchasing accommodation and flights, or car hire, together) or individually.
Your money tends to be much better protected with a package getaway and in this circumstance you will be offered either an alternative holiday or a refund.
So, is now a bad time to book?
There are some great deals to be had right now, just approach with caution.
It is vital that you take out travel insurance as if your flight is cancelled you may well have protection against the cost of other elements of your holiday such as accommodation or transfers.
If you’re looking at booking now, Europe is a very safe option.
Although the likes of Turkey and Cyprus in the eastern med have seen bookings drop, there is currently no reason for you not to visit them.
They’re on the safe list and currently have some great deals.
Always book travel insurance the minute you book your holiday and check the policy carefully.
