Holidaymakers have been left on edge after a wave of flight cancellations linked to soaring jet fuel prices but major UK carriers including easyJet and Jet2 insist summer travel plans remain largely intact.
Airlines across the globe are grappling with sharply rising fuel costs, driven by ongoing conflict in the Middle East and disruption in key oil transit routes such as the Strait of Hormuz.
While this has forced some carriers to cut routes, reduce capacity or increase fees, British travellers are being told there is no need to panic, at least for now.
EasyJet and Jet2 reassure passengers about flights this summer
Both easyJet and Jet2 have moved quickly to calm fears of widespread disruption during the peak holiday season.
EasyJet’s chief executive Kenton Jarvis said the airline has seen “no issues” with fuel supply across its network, including UK and European airports. Customers have been urged not to worry about existing bookings, with flights expected to operate as planned.
Jet2 echoed that message, confirming it has sufficient fuel supplies and will not introduce surcharges on holidays or flights. The airline also highlighted increased fuel production and alternative imports from regions unaffected by the conflict, giving it confidence heading into summer.
Flight cancellations rise globally
Despite reassurances in the UK, the wider aviation picture is more turbulent.
Airlines around the world have already begun scaling back operations:
- Lufthansa has announced 20,000 flight cancellations over six months, grounding aircraft and scrapping unprofitable short-haul routes.
- Turkish Airlines has cancelled more than 3,000 flights across 23 routes.
- KLM has axed over 150 European flights, citing rising kerosene costs.
- SAS cancelled around 1,000 flights in April alone.
- Norse Atlantic has dropped its London Gatwick to Los Angeles route entirely.
In total, around 296 departures from UK airports were cancelled in May, representing a relatively small but notable 0.75% of scheduled flights.
Prices and not planes are the bigger concern
While cancellations are making headlines, industry experts say the bigger impact for travellers will be rising fares.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has warned airlines can no longer absorb the surge in fuel costs indefinitely.
As a result, passengers should expect ticket prices to climb particularly later in the summer when fuel hedging protections begin to expire.
Several airlines have already taken action:
- Air France-KLM is increasing long-haul fares.
- United Airlines has suggested ticket prices could rise by up to 20%.
- Virgin Atlantic and Cathay Pacific have introduced or increased fuel surcharges.
- Budget carriers including AirAsia X and Volotea have added extra fees or adjusted pricing models.
Even airlines holding off on fare hikes such as British Airways and Ryanair — have acknowledged that sustained high fuel prices will eventually feed into ticket costs.
Encouragingly, current data suggests the peak summer schedule remains largely stable.
Flight reductions for June, July and August are minimal, and major UK airports such as Heathrow have not reported significant new disruption beyond previously suspended routes to the Middle East.
In addition, regulators are preparing contingency measures that would allow airlines to cancel flights without losing valuable take-off and landing slots if fuel shortages worsen.
Still, the overall message is clear: while flights are expected to operate, they may come at a higher price.
What it means for travellers
For now, UK holidaymakers can take some comfort from airline reassurances particularly from easyJet, Jet2 and TUI, all of which say summer holidays will go ahead without additional charges on existing bookings.
However, flexibility remains key. With airlines under financial pressure and global uncertainty ongoing, travellers should be prepared for:
- Higher ticket prices, especially for last-minute bookings
- Possible route changes or reduced frequencies
