Planes flights and airlines

AIRLINES around the world have been forced to cancel flights due to the ongoing Iran war.

Thousands of holidaymakers have been affected by the conflict, which has seen the cost of jet fuel spiral due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Not only has this seen prices go up by the blocking of the world’s busiest trade route, but it has also sparked fears of shortages.

Foreign airlines including United, Cathay, Lufthansa and Scandinavian Airlines are just some that have said they are cancelling flights.

But nervous Brits will be wondering if their own holidays will be affected.

Airlines UK, which represents a number of carriers, including BA, Virgin, easyJet, Jet2 and Ryanair, are calling on the government for support to protect flights and holidays.

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This would include temporary use of fuel type Jet A (not currently allowed in the UK) as well as relaxing the strict airport slot rules that would see airlines lose them if they don’t operate flights.

Easing night flight bans and “relieving the burden of Air Passenger Duty” have also been put forward.

In the mean time, we’ve gone to all the top UK airlines and tour operators to get their latest update.

Jet2

Jet2 – the UK’s biggest tour operator – said that flights and holidays remain unaffected at the moment.

A Jet2 spokesperson told us: “We remain in continual dialogue with our fuel suppliers, as is standard practice.

“Based on the conversations we have been having, we see no reason not to look forward to operating our scheduled programme of flights and holidays as normal.

“We understand that our customers work and save very hard for their holidays, and we are looking forward to making sure that they enjoy their award-winning Jet2holidays.”

TUI

TUI holidays have not been affected or cancelled by the fuel crisis.

A TUI spokesperson told Sun Travel: “We’re closely monitoring the developing situation in the Middle East and its potential impact on global aviation fuel supplies.

“At present, we’re not anticipating disruption to our flight schedules or holiday programmes from fuel shortages.”

easyJet

EasyJet flights are not currently affected by the fuel crisis.

A spokesperson told Sun Travel that there was ” no disruption to flights” and “no plans to make any changes to our flying schedule”.

However, earlier this week, easyJet CEO for Spain and Portugal said that it was difficult to see” what would happen in a few weeks time.

Javier Gándara told local media: “If there are problems in other countries, that ends up affecting flights to Spain. No one will be immune to potential supply problems.”

Ryanair

The budget Irish airline has not cancelled flights caused by the fuel crisis.

However, Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary previously warned that if it continues, flight cancellations were likely.

He said earlier this month: “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.”

This is because the airline currently hedges (pays a set price) for 80 per cent of fuel, not but the remaining 20 per cent.

Sun Travel has contacted Ryanair for comment.

British Airways

British Airways has not cancelled any flights due to the jet fuel crisis.

The only current flight changes are due to the ongoing war affecting destination in the Middle East.

This includes a reduction in daily flights to Dubai (from three to one) as well as reductions across Doha and Riyadh. Flights to Jeddah are being permanently suspended from April 24.

A British Airways spokesperson told us: “Due to the ongoing situation in the Middle East, we have made further changes to our flying schedule to provide greater clarity for our customers.

“We’re keeping the situation under constant review and are directly in touch with affected customers to offer them a range of options.”

“We will continue to assess and introduce further flying where possible.”

Virgin Atlantic

When the war first broke out in Iran, Virgin Atlantic was also affected by the closure of airports in the Middle East, which saw some cancellations.

This also saw the ending of their London to Riyadh route just a year after launching.

However, the airline has confirmed that the flying programme is “up to date and operating as normal”.

They also added that they were in touch with suppliers and would monitor the situations but that there was “no immediate risk to supply on routes”.

FROM flight cancellations caused by the Iran war to massive airport queues caused by new travel entry rules – going on holiday has never been so stressful.

Even myself – who travels abroad every month – approached the airport with trepidation this week.

My latest trip took me to the city of Bilbao, following the launch of new TUI city breaks to the Spanish city.

But before I could be excited for cheap wine and pinxtos, I was ready to be stuck in the airport for hours on end.

The new European rules – called the Entry/Exit System or EES – have resulted in massive problems especially at busy airports.

More than 80 passengers missed their Ryanair flight because of huge airport queues in Marseille, while over 100 people were left stranded when an easyJet flight to Manchester left without them.

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The Sun’s Travel Reporter Alice Penwill was even stuck in queues for more than three hours at Lanzarote.

This is because of the requirement of biometric checks from all Brits which includes fingerprint scanning, and is a much slower process than passport stamping.

So after arriving late into Bilbao on a Friday, it’s safe to say I was prepared.

My first chaos-avoiding trick? Book a seat as close to the front as possible.

This will mean you can get off the plane as quickly as possible, meaning you can be at the front of the queue.

I was in row 5 out of 36, so was easily one of the first off the plane.

But this doesn’t always work depending on the airline and airport.

This is because many of them don’t have direct access to the airport via jet-bridge and instead offer the dreaded bus service to taxi you to the building.

Thankfully, there is a way to make sure you are still at the front of the queue even if you pile on.

The best way is to go to the very first bus, and go to the front doors.

Then, rather than piling to the back of the bus for a seat, stay in the middle of the doors on either side.

This means that you will be delivered directly to the airport security entrance and, no matter what side the doors open, you will be at the front.

Both of these tricks allowed me to be fewer than 10 people back when trying to get through airport security.

This still saw me waiting around 25 minutes and, frustratingly, unable to use the empty e-gates and instead stuck in the one-man security queue.

Not only that, but each person was taking at least 1-2 minutes due to the slow machines – so you can imagine how many hours that will take if there are more than 100 passengers on a flight.

But, it was reassuring when I saw how long the queue was behind me, and meant I avoided the majority of the queue.

I would also suggest that if concerned, fly to a smaller airport where there are fewer UK flights.

Bilbao only welcomes 1.6million tourists a year compared to Barcelona‘s 16million or Madrid’s 11million.

This means far fewer passengers travelling through the airport at any one time.

It is also worth avoiding arriving at the same time as other UK flights which you can easily see from airport departure boards.

This is because it is mainly Brits needing to do these checks, not other Europeans, so if there are lots of flights landing at the same time, this will see hundreds more passengers all queueing at the same time.

Airports which have been hit by the chaos recently have included Schipol Airport in Amsterdam, being a major hub, as well as Milan Airport in Italy and Lisbon and Faro Airport in Portugal.

Or – avoid it entirely by travelling to destinations which aren’t following the ne EES rules.

Greece became the first EU country to confirm that Brits are exempt from the rules in a bid to avoid the massive queues.

This means your trip to somewhere like Athens or Crete should be a much easier experience at the airport.

Safe to say I was ready for some Spanish wine…

MOUNTING fears of jet fuel shortages have US travelers on edge ahead of summer vacations.

The holiday industry is bracing for a major fallout due to the Iran war’s impact on global travel.

“Anxious” Americans are worrying about whether they can return home if they travel to Europe or Asia for their summer vacation, said one expert.

For example, will their their long haul-flight end up suddenly being chopped due to a lack of fuel while overseas?

Alternatively, “will my short-haul domestic flight to the international airport be canceled?” Patrick De Haan, GasBuddy’s head of petroleum analysis, told Forbes.

“It’s a level of anxiety that travelers have never really had to worry about, and absolutely it could worsen.”

People across the world are keen for the Strait of Hormuz to reopen to shipping, because of spiraling costs hitting everything from grocery shopping to global fertilizer supplies.

But, even if this vital, narrow corridor was to permanently reopen today, it’ll be too late to salvage this year’s summer holidays, experts have warned.

That’s because airlines have now got to stick to a hurriedly rejigged schedule with airports – which must be booked months in advance.

It comes as the global jet fuel shortage is ramping up fuel prices for US carriers, which in turn are axing cheap airfares and some flights to save money.

Some airlines are already passing on extra costs to travelers by increasing fees for baggage and other add-ons, via steeper ticket prices, and fuel surcharges.

And, unfortunately, it will take months for vital supplies of oil and jet fuel to return to normal, according to Kpler, an energy consulting firm.

“It’s going to take until at least July,” Matt Smith, head US analyst, warned CNN.

“And even that may be optimistic at this point.”

United, American, Delta and Southwest airlines spent about $100 million a day on average among them on fuel in 2025.

But jet fuel prices have roughly doubled since the war began, when the United States and Israel started ​bombing Iran on February 28.

Delta Air Lines — which frequently flies to destinations across Europe — said it was aware of the continent’s “potential jet fuel supply issue.”

The carrier has already slashed some flights this summer.

United Airlines announced in March that it was “tactically pruning flying that’s temporarily unprofitable in the face of high oil prices.”

It’s the “largest energy crisis we have ever faced,” IEA executive director Fatih Birol told Associated Press last Thursday.

“If we are not able to open the Strait of Hormuz… I can tell you soon we will hear the news that some of the flights from city A to city B might be canceled as a result of lack of jet fuel,” he warned.

It will take an estimated two years for the world to recover from energy shortages caused by the war in Iran, Birol added.

More than 110 oil-laden tankers and over 15 carriers loaded with liquefied natural gas are still waiting in the Persian Gulf.

America’s own jet fuel supplies aren’t currently a huge concern, as local carriers are insulated to a certain extent.

The US produces 13 million barrels of oil a day and imports some four million barrels a day from Canada, De Haan told Forbes on April 16.

However, it’s a different situation in Europe and Asia, both of which are facing a potential shortage because of the ongoing conflict.

In Europe, multiple countries are now relying on less than 20 days of coverage in their fuel supplies, warned the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Asia-Pacific countries are the most reliant on oil and jet fuel from the Middle East, followed by Europe.

“The strait accounts for around 40% of Europe’s jet fuel imports, but no jet fuel has passed the strait since the war broke out,” said Amaar Khan, head of European jet fuel pricing at Argus Media, last Friday.

America has this month come to Europe’s aid to help bolster jet fuel supplies due to the war, sending about 150,000 barrels per day in April.

This is about six times the normal level, according to Jacques Rousseau, managing director at financial firm Clearview Energy Partners.

Airlines chop flights and increase fees amid the Middle East crisis

Here are just some of the impacts on travelers due to the Iran war…

Air Canada:

From June 1 to October 25, 2026, Canada’s largest carrier will chop back flights to New York due to rocketing fuel prices.

Alaska Air:

Fees for the first checked bag have risen by $5 and by $10 for the second on its North American flights. A third checked bag has increased considerably, from $50 to $200.

American Airlines:

Baggage fees have risen by $10 for the first and second checked bags, and by $150 for the third checked bag on domestic and short-haul international flights.

Delta Air Lines:

The carrier is charging an increase of $10 on passengers’ first and second checked bags and a $50 increase on the third.

Frontier Airlines:

This carrier is reviewing its full-year forecast due to rising fuel prices.

Jetblue Airways:

Baggage prices will rise by either $4 or $9.

Spirit Airlines:

This budget US carrier has begged Donald Trump’s administration for hundreds of millions of dollars in emergency funding to offset rising fuel prices.

Southwest Airlines:

Checked baggage fees will rise by $10 for the first and second bags.

United Airlines:

The airline is slashing unprofitable flights.

Also, first and second checked bag fees will spike by $10 for customers travelling in the US, Mexico and Canada and Latin America.

Virgin Atlantic:

This carrier is reducing flights and raising fares.

Westjet:

The Canadian airline ​has chopped seat capacity for June.

A C$60 ($43) fuel surcharge will be slugged on some bookings.

Source: The Independent

A SMALL European country without the crowds has revealed huge plans to overhaul its airport.

Luxembourg Airport is getting a huge £871million makeover that will eventually accommodate 10million passengers a year.

Follow The Sun’s award-winning travel team on Instagram and Tiktok for top holiday tips and inspiration @thesuntravel.

Works at Terminal A will focus on extending the current terminal to the airport’s tram stop and creating a new, modern security area with the latest technology by 2028.

There will also be an improved check-in area and bag drop-off area by 2028, to help passengers to move through the airport quicker.

By 2032, the disused underground station at the airport will be transformed into a baggage sorting area too.

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On the other hand, Terminal B will be completely redeveloped.

It will be transformed into a two-storey building with six new boarding gates, which passengers will have to hop on shuttle buses to get to.

The airport as a whole will get a number of other upgrades as well, such as the air traffic control tower as well as a new business aviation centre and VIP lounge set to open in 2029.

Aircraft parking across the airport will also increase from 27 spaces to 53, with additional boarding bridges too.

The airport hopes that the development will help the airport to handle up to double the amount of passengers it currently does (5.2million) to 10million passengers a year, by 2050.

A huge project is also going on around the airport that will see over 44 acres transformed into new offices, shops, restaurants and even a VIP terminal.

Dubbed the ‘Airport City’, travellers will be able to shop and dine at places including Starbucks and Oberweis restaurant in an area with a “unique metropolitan feel”.

The Airport City will even have a new hotel with the Skypark Business Centre North Hotel having over 200 rooms.

Then at Skypark Business Centre South, there will be a shopping centre and direct access to the terminal.

Luxembourg is surrounded by Belgium, France and Germany and tends to be a lesser-visited country in Europe.

In total, around one million people visit the country each year, whereas around 19million visit Belgium, over 100million visit France and over 37million visit Germany.

If heading to the capital, Luxembourg City, you will find a UNESCO listed medieval old town sat at the edge of steep cliffs.

The country as a whole is a great destination for keen hikers too with over 3,000 miles of trails through Ardennes forests and vineyards.

A major plus of visiting the country is that public transport is free across Luxembourg for everyone.

Luxembourg was also named one of the best places in the world for quality of life, last year.

Despite being home to just under 700,000 people, the Numbeo Quality of Life index placed the country top across a number of categories including the cost of living and house price to income ratio.

The country was also named among the happiest countries in the world last year, according to the World Happiness Report 2025.

The report recognised the country’s strong economy, as well as its social support network, with residents claiming that they have a good personal freedom.

You can fly direct to Luxembourg from the UK from London City, London Heathrow and London Stansted airports.

A one-way flight from these airports in May costs from £15 per person and only takes an hour.

In other airport news, Ryanair threatens to axe all flights to European country due to ‘massive passport queues’.

Plus, flights are now costing families hundreds extra due to ongoing Iran war – with even more airlines hiking prices.

THE closure of the Strait of Hormuz has resulted in the soaring price of jet fuel, which had led to fears of shortages across Europe.

Now, easyJet has issued an update for its passengers with growing fears that holidays could be affected from mid-May.

Javier Gándara, easyJet CEO for Spain and Portugal, has said that while the airline is continuing to operate as planned now, beyond three or four weeks and it’s “difficult to see” what will happen.

The three-week warning means easyJet passengers could face disruption from as soon as May 12.

However, Mr Gándara then added: “In Spain, we are in a comparatively better situation than neighbouring countries for two reasons.

“Firstly, because of all the crude oil that is imported and then refined here, only 11 per cent comes from the Middle East, which is the percentage affected by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz; the remaining 89 per cent comes from elsewhere.”

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But he did warn that “if there are problems in other countries, that ends up affecting flights to Spain.”

And said “no one will be immune to potential supply problems.”

This comes after a warning was issued by TUI yesterday.

The travel giant said it is “monitoring” jet fuel shortages as a result of the Iran war, for all passengers flying from May 1.

On social media, one worried traveller asked the airline: “With the reported jet fuel shortages are you expecting holidays from May 1 to be affected?”

TUI responded: “We’re closely monitoring the developing situation in the Middle East and its potential impact on global aviation fuel supplies.

“At present, we’re not anticipating any immediate disruption to our flight schedules or holiday programmes from fuel shortages.“

The holiday chaos is caused from the ongoing Iran-US conflict with warnings that Europe could face jet fuel shortages due to the Strait of Hormuz remaining closed.

It was revealed earlier this month that airports could run out of jet fuel within weeks.

The ACI Europe, which represents European airports, said the key trade route must open within three weeks or fuel reserves will run drastically low.

As a result, a number of major airlines have been cancelling flights in preparation for shortages.

United Airlines said that five per cent of flights would be cancelled in the second and third quarters of 2026.

SAS was the first major airline in Europe to axe flights because of of the cost of fuel going up.

Dutch airline KLM has cancelled 160 flights for the coming month, but has said it will affect less than 1 per cent of its schedule.

Meanwhile, Cathay Pacific has confirmed that two per cent of passenger flights will be cancelled from May 16 to June 30.

Air New Zealand announced in March that it will be cutting back on flights over the next two months.

And Norse announced it would remove all flights from London Gatwick to LA.

Others, like Virgin Atlantic as well as Air France and KLM have added surcharge to tickets to offset the rising price in jet fuel.

What does this mean for your upcoming holiday?

1. How will this affect my holiday?

Getaways should not be seriously impacted immediately as airlines bought fuel far in advance at a fixed rate.

But if the crisis continues into June, operators may start adding a surcharge to holiday prices.

A limited number of flights may be cancelled, but mostly on well-served routes with alternatives.

If supplies start to dry up, cancellations would increase.

2. Am I entitled to a refund?

IF some or all of your holiday is cancelled by the provider, your refund depends on whether you booked your trip as a package holiday, or individually.

Your money tends to be much better protected with a package deal.

3. Is now a bad time to book?

There are some great deals, but book with caution.

You must take out travel insurance as, if your flight is cancelled, you may have protection against the cost of other elements of your holiday, such as accommodation.

Despite the chaos, Egypt resorts have dropped prices by 70 per cent with mega cheap all-inclusive deals – as Brit avoid it.

And if you’re anxious that your flight will be cancelled, here’s what to expect this summer.

A POPULAR holiday destination could soon lose all of its Ryanair flights – due to huge queues at the airport.

Malta is just one of the destinations in Europe that recently implemented the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) at its airport, which requires new biometric checks.

However, recent reports found that passengers were left stranded on the tarmac for 20 minutes because the queues were so long at security inside the airport building.

David O’Brien, one of Ryanair’s executive officers and the CEO of Malta Air, said: “If we find ourselves with significant congestion and delay, we’d have to redirect capacity away from Malta to other destinations and that’s not something we’d like to do.”

He has since written to Malta’s Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri to ensure border controls are fully staffed for this summer, according to The Times of Malta.

O’Brien added that “Europe is utterly unprepared in a general sense” and that while the airline has not yet experienced significant delays at Malta Airport, it is concerned about the upcoming summertime period.

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Last year, Ryanair carried more than half of total passengers to Malta and of those travelling to the country – with the UK being the biggest market.

To try and reduce the delays, Malta Airport has introduced new measures such as a specific Schengen corridor, as well as increasing the amount of immigration desks.

The airport has also transferred more airport staff to be working on the new system.

Alan Borg, CEO of Malta International Airport told The Times of Malta: “We are working hand in hand with the Malta Police Force to make sure we can do everything possible to support them in this important initiative.

“It is what it is. We need to find ways to improve the processing time over the summer period.”

EES is a new system used across 29 European countries to register non-EU nationals, which includes Brits, for short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

And Malta isn’t the only airport suffering delays due to the newly implemented EES.

Last month, Travel Reporter Alice Penwill experienced three-hour queues at Lanzarote Airport.

She said: “The queues stretched along the corridor and zigzagged all the way through the arrivals hall that took passengers to EES registration.”

“I’d already signed up to EES, having visited Lithuania a few months ago – but that was no use at all.

“There was no separate queue for – or any staff for that matter – advising those who have registered to head straight to the passport e-gates.

“While this was frustrating, what was even more so was that only half of the EES machines were actually working.

“When I finally made it to my bus transfer, even the Jet2Holidays rep said she’d ‘never seen delays this bad’.”

Delays have also been reported at Brussels, Lisbon and Prague airports.

Greece has even decided to halt the system completely.

On April 18, a statement from the Greek Embassy announced that Brits are “exempt” from biometrics at all Greek border crossing points.

Eleni Skarveli, the director of the Greek National Tourism Organisation in the UK, said: “The exemption of British passport holders from biometric registration at Greek border crossing points, effective from 10 April 2026, is expected to significantly reduce waiting times and ease congestion at airports.

“UK travellers will no longer need to undergo additional EES biometric procedures, ensuring a smoother and more efficient arrival experience in Greece.“

Sun Travel has contacted Malta Airport and Ryanair for comment.

In other travel news, here is the full list of 29 European countries being hit by new travel rules.

Plus, here are nine of the European airports where Brits are facing massive queues and missed flights due to new travel rules.

THE conflict in Iran has added as much as $100 (£77) per person to the price of long-haul flights from Europe, new figures have revealed.

The Transport & Environment (T&E) said in a statement that disruption to jet fuel supplies is likely to trigger higher ticket prices for passengers.

T&E added that the rise in jet fuel prices has increased the average fuel cost by £77 for each passenger on long-haul flights leaving Europe.

For a family of four heading on a long-haul holiday that’s an increase of £308.

For short-haul flights within Europe, they’ve increased by £25.26 per passenger – or more than £100 per family.

In the report, T&E then predicted that jet fuel for a flight from Barcelona to Berlin would be ⁠€26 (£22.64) more expensive per passenger.

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Long-haul journeys, for example Paris to New York could even cost €129 (£112.35) more in fuel.

Since the Iran conflict began and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, jet fuel prices have risen to well over $100 (£74) a barrel.

And there are fears that more turmoil is on the cards, as a temporary ceasefire ends tomorrow, with concerns the Middle Eastern conflict could spark back into life – as thousands of US troops are on standby to launch fresh attacks.

A second round of crunch peace talks are due to resume in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad shortly – but they have already been plagued by no show claims.

Iran has refused to confirm if it will attend even after the US delegation, led by JD Vance, prepared to board a jet for the Middle East.

Trump has already said it is “highly unlikely” the two-week ceasefire will be extended past the deadline especially if a permanent end to the fighting can’t be hashed out.

The impact of the rising costs of fuel have been felt everywhere from the petrol pumps to Brits’ summer holidays, as airlines have offset rising costs by increasing ticket fares and adding additional baggage fees.

For example, Virgin Atlantic has added a new fuel surcharge to tickets.

Passengers in economy will pay an extra £50, the Telegraph reported.

However, premium economy passengers will pay an extra £180 while anyone in business class will see flights cost an extra £360.

Air France and KLM, which are part of the same company, are also increasing ticket prices.

In total, Air France and KLM will have increased their round-trip fares by €100 (£87) on most of their long-haul flights.

It comes after the head of the International Energy Agency warned that Europe has just six weeks left of jet fuel.

IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol said mass flight cancellations will begin “soon” if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.

Airlines including United, Scandinavian Airlines and Lufthansa have already been forced to cancel hundreds of flights in recent weeks due to fears of shortages.

Birol’s deadline means airports could face critical fuel shortages by May, causing travel chaos for Brits heading abroad during the school May half-term holidays.

Despite the chaos, there are still great holiday deals to be made as Egypt tour operators have dropped prices of all-inclusive holidays with thousands in savings.

Sun Travel found some great deals including ones with loveholidays which starts from £239 per person for an all-inclusive holiday for a family of four.

A NEW airport has opened on the world’s largest island giving travellers direct access to an area dubbed the “Riviera of the North”.

The new hub is expected to boost tourism in one of the Arctic’s most remote regions.

Visitors can now travel by air to Qaqortoq in Greenland to visit an area famous for kayaking and whale-watching.

Anne Nivika Grødem, director of Visit Greenland, said: “South Greenland offers a rare combination of powerful nature and a living culture shaped over generations.

“Improved access allows us to welcome visitors with greater intention – encouraging travel with curiosity [and offering] more meaningful experiences for our guests.”

Greenland’s prime minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen travelled on the new airport’s first flight.

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While more than 30,000 passengers disembark from cruise ships at Qaqortoq every year, less than 2,000 tourists on average stay overnight each year.

Before the opening of the airport, travellers looking to visit Qaqortoq would have to travel two days on a ferry or arrive by helicopter.

The town is 300 miles from the capital, Nuuk.

Air Greenland is to operate two daily 75-minute direct flights between Nuuk and Qaqortoq year-round.

This is expected to rise 17 weekly services in summer, while Icelandair plans to run four weekly summer flights to and from Keflavík, starting from June 2.

In recent years, Greenland has been working to boost visitor numbers.

Earlier this year US President Donald Trump’s threats to invade Greenland resulted in a 46% increase in foreign guests – most of them Americans.