There have previously been warnings of a ‘systemic’ shortage of jet fuel ahead of the peak summer season
There have been concerns over the availability of jet fuel(Image: Getty Images)
A former Ryanair boss has told UK holidaymakers due to fly in the next few months to have ‘no worries’ about flights being axed following the war in the Middle East.
Tim Jeans, a former commercial director at Ryanair who was later managing director of Monarch Air, warned there may be some ‘trimming’ of flight schedules over the summer months – but that he did not expect airlines to cancel routes altogether.
It follows warnings from Airports Council International (ACI) that there could be a ‘systemic’ shortage of jet fuel ahead of the peak summer season if the Strait of Hormuz does not reopen.
The trade body, which represents more than 600 airports including Manchester Airport, recently told the European commissioners for energy and transport and tourism that a jet fuel shortage is set to become a reality for the EU unless the strait did not open back up to tankers within three weeks.
ACI director-general Olivier Jankovec said there was a ‘triple whammy for airlines at the moment’ – with the issues around the Iran war leading to a massive spike in the cost of fuel.
He said: “The fact that we are entering the peak summer season… is only adding to those concerns.” However, he added: “I don’t see a situation where flights will get cancelled because of the non-availability of fuel.”
Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland’s Breakfast programme, Mr Jeans said rising ticket prices and uncertainty around whether it is going to be possible to travel is reducing demand.
He said: “And so you have a situation where airlines are looking at their bookings for the next three months ahead and saying ‘should we fly that flight, is it going to be profitable?’”
However he stressed that “for holidaymakers from Scotland they need have no worries on that score”.
Mr Jeans said: “The airlines, particularly the holiday airlines, have got very robust bookings for May, June and July.
“I don’t see really a possibility that for example somebody booked to go to Majorca or Malaga is going to find their flight cancelled.
“There may be some trimming of schedules which might mean a flight time alteration, but are they going to see their flight cancelled altogether? I think not.”
He added that if an airline operates several flights a day between the same locations “they might possibly cut five down to four, they might cut four down to three even”.
But Mr Jeans dismissed the notion there would be more widespread cancellations – with the exception of flights to the Middle East, where he said an escalation of the current conflict could see planes grounded for safety reasons.
He added: “For the vast majority of destinations that people travel to, whether for leisure or business, they should be quite confident they can book.”
Mr Jeans stressed many airlines will have bought supplies of jet fuel well in advance – and also said supplies could be sourced from alternative sources not affected by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, such as the US.
He said: “We can get jet fuel from places other than the Middle East, and there are changes now in the supply chain, bringing more aviation fuel from the US.
“I’m not saying there is no problem, that would be foolish to say that, but I think it is fair to say most airlines will be confident they could uplift enough fuel to fly the programmes they plan to fly.”