As the US and Israel’s war with Iran squeezes global oil supplies, there are fears about the cost and availability of flights as travelers plan their late spring and summer trips.
The head of the International Energy Agency has warned that European countries could run low on jet fuel within weeks, forcing the continent’s airlines and carriers that fly to Europe to significantly reduce flights.
Many airlines have already raised checked bag fees or added fuel surcharges as the global price of jet fuel increased from about $99 (£73.31) per barrel at the end of February to as high as $209 (£154.76) a barrel at the beginning of April.
So are flight tickets going up and are flights being cancelled? ITV News has contacted a number of airlines to find out.
Air France / KLM
Air France and KLM have increased ticket prices. For Economy Class tickets on long-haul flights, the fare increase is €100 (£86.81) per round trip.
For flights to the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the increase is €70 (£60.77) per round trip. For short- and medium-haul Economy Class flights, the increase is €10 (£8.68) per round trip.
Starting from April 27, KLM will operate 80 fewer round-trip flights in the coming month due to rising jet fuel costs.
This represents less than 1% of their flights within Europe during that time and passengers booked on these flights will be rebooked onto the next available flight.
Wizz Air
They told us they are actively monitoring fuel supply as it affects all airlines but there is no disruption at the moment.
A spokesperson said: “The airline will work with its suppliers to secure the jet fuel available in line with its needs.
“We’ll keep customers informed and provide timely updates if needed.”
Lufthansa
20,000 short-haul flights will be removed from the schedule through October due to the price of jet fuel which has doubled since the outbreak of the Iran conflict.
They say the first 120 daily flight cancellations were implemented on Monday (20 April), effective through the end of May, and affected passengers have been notified.
For the flights scheduled in the summer timetable, Lufthansa expects a largely stable fuel supply.
All Lufthansa Group airlines will suspend flights to the Middle East through April 30.
They say ticket prices may continue to increase due to the current geopolitical environment.
EasyJet
ITV News understands they are currently seeing no disruption to flights and don’t plan to make any changes to their flying schedule.
Virgin Atlantic
The fuel surcharge for each cabin is as follows:
- Economy: £50
- Premium: £180
- Upper: £360
ITV News understands there is no immediate risk to supply on their routes at present, with flights operating as normal.
Fly Emirates
They say they are currently operating a reduced number of flights until further notice.
Qatar Airways
They say they are expanding their international flight network, with services to over 150 destinations from June.
Their new schedule, valid until mid-September, introduces new routes and increased frequencies to and from Doha.
Vueling
A spokesperson for the company told us: “It will depend on how the situation evolves; as of now, we are operating normally.”
ITV News has also contacted Airlines UK, International Airlines Group, Ryanair, Air India and American Airlines but they are yet to comment on this.
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