As airlines grapple with the soaring jet fuel prices and global shortage due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, two more have been forced to increase their prices for passengers
Two airlines have increased their prices amid the jet fuel crisis (Image: Getty Images)
Due to the escalating fuel crisis sparked by the Middle East conflict, two more airlines have been forced to raise their prices.
Air travel has been severely disrupted with cancelled routes and a sharp rise in jet fuel prices since US-Israeli strikes erupted on February 28, 2026. The situation was further heightened by Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately 20 per cent of the world’s oil and gas passes, triggering a global shortage.
As a result, airlines have been grappling with rising jet fuel costs and have been forced to raise prices. Air France and KLM are the latest airlines to confirm they’ve had to increase ticket prices as a result.
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The airlines, which are part of the same company Air France–KLM, had previously added a surcharge last month to offset soaring jet fuel prices. At the time, economy fares were bumped up by an extra €50 (£43.47) for a round trip, reported The Sun.
Now, with another increase announced, a long-haul round trip with Air France or KLM could cost an additional €50, bringing the fuel surcharge to €100 (£86.98) on top of the standard fare. Meanwhile, flights to the United States, Canada and Mexico could increase by €70 (£60.89), and an economy round-trip could cost an extra €10 (£8.70).
The Mirror has contacted Air France and KLM for comment.
Air France and KLM aren’t the only airlines to raise prices amid the ongoing fuel crisis. Just this week, it emerged that Virgin Atlantic had increased some flight costs with an extra £50 fuel surcharge on economy-class tickets, while premium economy fares are climbing by £180 and business class by £360.
Virgin Atlantic Chief Executive, Corneel Koster, warned travellers that flight prices could climb in the coming months and potentially throughout the remainder of the year. He said: “We have never seen jet fuel at this level and airlines cannot sustain those sorts of high costs.”
“If the fuel price goes much higher, I think the surcharges may go higher. If they go up in a week and you book in two weeks’ time, you’ll be paying higher.”
While there are no fuel shortages at present, Koster acknowledged it was impossible to guarantee supplies in the months ahead. “We have contracts with multiple suppliers who have a wide range of diversity of where the jet fuel comes from,” he explained.
“We have good visibility and no concern for the coming one to two months – certainly for the remainder of April and May. Beyond that I have less visibility, but that is quite normal.”
Meanwhile, it’s also been reported that airlines, such as JetBlue, have increased luggage fees in a bid to offset the soaring fuel costs. For off-peak economy fares, bags are expected to cost $4 more (£2.95), jumping to $39 (£28.79), while peak economy fares are set to be $49 (£36.17).
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