Airlines are trimming May schedules across the UK as a surge in jet fuel prices ripples through European aviation, with data from Cirium showing 296 departures from British airports had been cancelled by Tuesday, May 12.
The increase is sharp: just six days earlier, the total stood at 120. But the picture is less severe for the summer peak, with schedule cuts for June, July and August easing week by week, suggesting carriers are trying to absorb the shock without broad-brush di...
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sruption to the holiday period.
The pressure stems from renewed instability in the Middle East, where conflict involving the US and Iran has pushed up oil and fuel costs globally. The Independent has reported that the main issue for airlines is not a lack of fuel, but the price of it, which is forcing operators to rethink route economics and, in some cases, cut flights outright.
Cirium’s analysis also indicates that around 13,000 flights have been cancelled worldwide in May, removing roughly two million seats from the market. A sizeable share of the disruption has been linked to Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines, both of which have opted to ground services as a cost-saving measure.
That backdrop has prompted airports and regulators to relax some rules, allowing airlines to scrap flights without losing their take-off and landing slots if fuel shortages make operations unworkable.
For British travellers, the immediate concern has been whether airlines will add surcharges. British Airways’ parent, IAG, has said it is considering pricing changes to reflect higher fuel costs, though the carrier says it is not seeing supply interruptions. EasyJet has meanwhile sought to calm passengers, with easyJet Holidays saying trips will continue as planned and no extra fuel charges will be added.
Jet2 has taken a similar line, promising that customers will not face added costs on summer bookings. Ryanair, too, says it will not impose fuel surcharges, with chief executive Michael O’Leary arguing that the airline is better insulated than many of its European rivals if fuel stays expensive through the summer. He has also warned that some carriers could run into serious financial trouble if current prices persist.
The issue adds another layer of uncertainty for holidaymakers already navigating a busy summer travel season, even if the latest airline schedules suggest the worst of the cancellations may be confined to May rather than the main holiday months ahead.
Source: Noah Wire Services
