Green Party

It comes as the UK Government today, Sunday, May 3, introduced a rule change allowing airlines to group passengers from different flights together

Wizz Air has issued an update to passengers this Sunday afternoon confirming its flight plans. The airline’s latest statement follows new official measures unveiled today, Sunday, May 3, by the Government.

The Government has brought in a temporary rule change permitting airlines to consolidate passengers from different flights onto fewer aircraft as part of efforts to conserve fuel. This follows warnings of a potential jet fuel shortage ahead of the busy holiday season if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.

Asked this morning whether holidaymakers travelling abroad are likely to encounter difficulties this summer, Ms Alexander told Sky News’ Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips: “I’ve spent every week of the last two months in close contact with airlines and airports.

“On Thursday of this week, airlines told me very clearly that they have good visibility over the next six to eight weeks of jet fuel supply. There is no current disruption to jet fuel supplies.

“We are, for example, importing more jet fuel from America. We have asked the refineries in the UK to maximise their production. We’ve got four refineries here, refineries in West Africa are also producing more.”

She continued: “The last thing I want is for people to turn up at a departure gate and have last minute cancellations. I am confident, sat here today on the basis of the information that I have available to me, that the majority of people who are travelling this summer will have a similar experience to that which they had last year.”

Her comments come as airlines worldwide take action in response to soaring jet fuel prices. These have been triggered by Iran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, blocking off one of the world’s crucial routes for jet fuel distribution to other countries.

Lufthansa recently revealed plans to axe 20,000 flights as it scales back capacity to cope with jet fuel shortages. UK carriers have also issued statements in a bid to put customers’ minds at ease.

Among them, Jet2 confirmed it will not impose surcharges on any existing flight or holiday bookings to offset rising costs, such as those for jet fuel. Now Wizz Air has released a fresh statement following the government’s latest proposals.

Speaking today, an airline spokesman said: “Wizz Air acknowledges today’s announcement by the UK government and would like to reassure customers that its operations remain fully stable and unaffected.

“The airline confirms that it plans continue to operate its full summer schedule, flying passengers safely and reliably to their destinations across its extensive network. Wizz Air is working closely with its partners to ensure seamless operations throughout the peak travel season.

“Customers can book with confidence on Wizz Air’s wide selection of routes from more than half a dozen airports across the UK, connecting travellers to popular destinations across Europe and beyond.”

New government rules amid jet fuel shortage fears

The Government’s airline rule change could result in passengers being switched from their originally booked service to a comparable one in order to cut down on wasted fuel from aircraft that haven’t sold out and may otherwise have been cancelled.

Consumer group Which? has hit out at the move, arguing that rules should not be “bent in favour of airlines”. Shadow transport secretary Richard Holden warned that families could find themselves “herded on to a different plane, at a time of the airline’s choosing”.

“The honest message is that Britain is exposed to fuel supply risks that a properly energy-secure country would not face,” he added. Green Party leader Zack Polanski has called for private jets to be grounded in a bid to conserve fuel.

“While ordinary people pay the price, the super rich are simply getting in their private jets at will – wasting huge amounts of jet fuel on unnecessary trips,” he said.