Despite being thousands of miles away from Britain, the war in the Middle East is continuing to have an impact on British lives.
From the rising cost of jet fuel to plane routes being cancelled or changed – air travel has been massively affected by the situation.
Europe sources about 40 per cent of its jet fuel from the Strait of Hormuz, which is nearly completely closed.
The UK receives supplies direct from the Middle East while additional supplies come in indirectly, especially via Belgium and the Netherlands.
The last known shipment of jet fuel from the Middle East to Britain is expected to arrive imminently.
But, that leaves the question – what happens next? And should holidaymakers be worried about jet fuel shortages?
Former airline captain Emma Henderson MBE tells the Daily Mail that it could reach a point where there is simply ‘not enough’ fuel.
She says, ‘The bottom line is that if oil is not released from the Straits of Hormuz, there will come a point when there is not enough – and this is already happening in Europe where some airports have run out of jet fuel.’
If no more jet fuel shipments were to arrive from the Gulf, airlines and the government are sourcing supplies from elsewhere. The UK is not completely reliant on the Strait of Hormuz for its fuel.
A spokesperson for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero tells the Daily Mail: ‘Jet fuel shipments are continuing to arrive in the UK.
‘The UK receives imports of jet fuel from India, US and the Netherlands as well as smaller amounts from a range of other countries.
‘We are engaging with British carriers to support their operations against the backdrop of war in the Middle East, and to limit the impact on passengers.’
Despite any unknowns over when and where jet fuel might be sourced from next, the aviation expert says holidaymakers don’t need to be too concerned.
Henderson adds, ‘I don’t think people need to panic about their summer holidays being cancelled but I think we all need to be aware of what’s going on and the impact it is potentially going to have on our lives.’
The keynote speaker predicts long-haul flights are most likely to be impacted first by shortages due to them being ‘fuel hungry and less cost effective than short haul flights’.
However, if the situation continues, she warns ‘there might be an impact on some flights as airlines have to reduce capacity’.
The cost of flights could be affected down the line by jet fuel shortages too, Henderson explains.
‘It will also impact the cost of flights in the long run but not necessarily yet because large airlines hedge fuel prices and will be protected on price for most of 2026 but that’s only good if you can actually get the stuff into the country in the first place isn’t it,’ says the former pilot.
She advises people should plan ahead and consider alternate ways to travel and says, ‘I’m still planning and booking flights (my work as a professional speaker takes me around the world and I do a lot of work in Europe) but in the back of my mind I am also thinking about other ways I can get to places – by sea and land.
‘I’m thinking of it as a possible adventure rather than a blockage and I think we could all have that adaptable approach.’
But overall, the expert emphasises the UK government and airlines will be working on protecting flights and fuel supply ‘to avoid disruption’.
Earlier this week, Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary warned that travellers face a summer of uncertainty if the Middle East conflict continues to disrupt global oil routes.
Speaking to Sky News, Mr O’Leary said that while the budget airline was ‘reasonably well-hedged’ on 80 per cent of jet fuel, passengers could be hit with disruption from ‘early May’.
‘Fuel suppliers are constantly looking at the market. We don’t expect any disruption until early May,’ O’Leary said.
‘But if the war continues, we do run the risk of supply disruptions in Europe in May and June, and we hope the war will finish sooner than that and the risk to supply will be eliminated.’
Revealing he was paying $150 a barrel for around 20 per cent of his fuel, he insisted the more ‘immediate concern’ was if there would be enough jet fuel to keep planes flying.
He said the travel industry was under the heel of the war in the Middle East as Donald Trump dramatically washed his hands of the crisis and told the UK to ‘go get your own oil’.
Expressing his hope that the war ends sooner rather than later, he also warned there is a ‘reasonable risk’ that anywhere from 10 to 25 per cent of supplies could be in danger in both May and June – possibly spelling summer travel chaos for millions.
The Ryanair boss also insisted the summer season depends on whether the strategic passage, the Strait of Hormuz, can be freed once again for the travel of vessels carrying oil.
In recent weeks, several ships have been attacked by Iran with one boat being struck by an explosive-laden vessel from the Tehran regime.
Yet despite the stark warning, O’Leary said if the Strait reopens and the war comes to an end by April, then there would be ‘almost no risk to supply’.
And despite the odds, the budget airline boss remained defiant that he does not expect to cancel flights even though his competitors have struggled to grapple with an unstable market.
It comes as Easyjet warned European customers to expect higher prices at the end of the summer as their fuel hedges are expected to dry up.
But they aren’t the only ones with Cathay Pacific, AirAsia and Thai Airways, and Air New Zealand increasing air fares.
United Airlines also said it might hike up prices by as much as a fifth, while other firms have gone as far as to cancel flights.
Some carriers are even having to increase their checked baggage fees due to the cost of jet fuel rising.
Budget US airline JetBlue previously charged a minimum of $35 (£26.50) for a passenger’s first piece of checked luggage.
However, this now shows as $39 (£29.50) for off-peak flights, including $10 (£7.60) in savings, on the carrier’s website.
During peak times, the price starts at $49 (£37.10), up from the previous $40 (£30.30) – a $9 (£6.82) increase.
JetBlue has put the change down to ‘rising operating costs’.
A spokesperson told the Daily Mail: ‘As we experience rising operating costs, we regularly evaluate how to manage those costs while keeping base fares competitive and continuing to invest in the experience our customers value.
‘Adjusting fees for optional services used by select customers, such as checked baggage, allows us to continue offering more competitive fares while delivering the onboard experience our customers love, including complimentary snacks and drinks, unlimited, high-speed Wi-Fi and seatback entertainment screens.
‘While we recognize that fee increases are never ideal, we take careful consideration to ensure these changes are implemented only when necessary.’
How the war is impacting flights across the world: What airlines are doing as jet fuel costs surge
A surge in jet fuel prices driven by the US-Israeli war on Iran has upended the global aviation industry, forcing airlines to raise fares and revise financial outlooks. Here is how airlines have been responding so far this month:
AEGEAN AIRLINES: The Greek airline expects suspended Middle East flights and a spike in fuel prices to have a ‘notable impact’ on its first-quarter results.
AIR FRANCE-KLM: The airline group said it planned to increase long-haul ticket prices to address surging fuel costs, with cabin fares set to rise by 50 euros (£43.60) per round trip.
AIR NEW ZEALAND: The airline was one of the first to announce broad increases to ticket prices on March 10. It also suspended its full-year earnings forecast due to fuel market volatility. The price increases for one-way economy fares are set at NZ$10 (£4.33) on domestic routes, NZ$20 (£8.66) on short-haul international services and NZ$90 (£38.98) on long-haul flights, with further price, network and schedule changes possible if fuel costs remain elevated.
AKASA AIR: India’s Akasa Air said it was introducing a fuel surcharge ranging from 199-1,300 Indian rupees (£1.60 to £10.47) on domestic and international flights.
AMERICAN AIRLINES: The US carrier said it expected a $400million (£300million) increase in first-quarter expenses as fuel prices surge.
CATHAY PACIFIC: The Hong Kong airline said it would raise fuel surcharges on all routes from April 1, its second increase in about two weeks after a March 18 hike, and review them every two weeks. The carrier, which reviews fuel surcharges monthly, kept them steady last month at $72.90 (£54.90) for flights between Hong Kong and Europe or North America.
CEBU AIR: The Philippines-based airline said the sharp rise in fuel prices was a key concern and it would continue to review its pricing and network strategies to mitigate the impact.
EASYJET: EasyJet chief executive Kenton Jarvis said European consumers should expect higher ticket prices towards the end of summer, when existing fuel hedges come to an end.
GREATER BAY AIRLINES: Hong Kong-based Greater Bay Airlines said it would raise fuel surcharges on most routes from April 1 due to higher fuel prices linked to the Iran war, while keeping charges unchanged on mainland China and Japan routes. Its surcharge for flights between Hong Kong and the Philippines will more than double, the carrier said.
FRONTIER AIRLINES: The US airline is reviewing its full-year forecast as fuel prices have increased significantly since it issued the outlook.
HONG KONG AIRLINES: The airline said it would raise fuel surcharges by up to 35 per cent from March 12, with the sharpest increase on flights between Hong Kong and the Maldives, Bangladesh and Nepal, where charges would rise to HK$384 (£37) from HK$284 (£27).
IAG: British Airways owner IAG said on March 10 it did not plan to increase ticket prices immediately, as it has hedged much of its fuel for the short-to-medium-term.
INDIGO: India’s biggest airline said it would introduce fuel charges on domestic and international flights from March 14, including a charge of 900 rupees (£7) for flights to the Middle East and a charge of 2,300 rupees (£19) for flights to Europe. The company is also lobbying the Indian government to cut fuel taxes, sources told Reuters.
JETBLUE AIRWAYS: The US-based low-cost carrier said it was increasing fees for optional services such as checked baggage as it experiences ‘rising operating costs’. Baggage prices will rise by either $4 (£3) or $9 (£7), the company said.
PAKISTAN INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES: The carrier said it would raise domestic flight fares by $20 (£15) and international fares by up to $100 (£75), citing higher fuel surcharges.
PHILIPPINE AIRLINES: The airline said it had adequate fuel supply to support scheduled operations, but did not have visibility beyond May to June. Company president Richard Nuttall told CNBC the Philippines might eventually consider measures such as rationing how much fuel airlines can purchase, which a few countries have already implemented.
QANTAS AIRWAYS: The Australian airline, which had already said it would raise international fares, said on March 26 it would add flights to Rome, Paris and Singapore. It said it was monitoring fuel security, fuel prices and demand, and could make further changes.
SAS: The Scandinavian airline said it would cancel 1,000 flights in April because of high oil and jet fuel prices. For March, it said it had cancelled a ‘couple hundred’ flights. SAS, which had already increased flight prices, said that even if it tried to absorb the rising fuel costs, the price surge would still be a blow to the aviation industry.
SPRING AIRLINES: The budget Chinese airline said it would raise fuel surcharges on domestic flights from April 5, with details to be announced later.
THAI AIRWAYS: The Thailand-based carrier said it would raise fares by 10-15 per cent to address rising fuel costs.
TURKISH AIRLINES, LUFTHANSA: SunExpress, a joint venture between Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa, said it would impose a temporary fuel surcharge of 10 euros (£9)) per passenger from May 1 on routes between Turkey and mainland Europe. The surcharge will apply to bookings made on or after April 1 for departures on or after May 1.
UNITED AIRLINES: The US airline is cutting unprofitable flights over the next two quarters as it prepares for oil prices to remain above $100 until the end of 2027, chief executive Scott Kirby said. United has been able to raise fares without materially hurting bookings in response to the rapid increase in oil and jet fuel prices, chief commercial officer Andrew Nocella said.
VIETJET: The Vietnamese budget airline said it had adjusted flight frequency on selected routes due to potential fuel shortages.
VIETNAM AIRLINES: The carrier plans to cancel 23 flights per week across domestic routes from April, Vietnam’s aviation authority said, after the airline requested government assistance to remove an environmental tax on jet fuel.
VIRGIN AUSTRALIA: Virgin Australia said it was adjusting fares to reflect rising cost pressures across the aviation sector, which it said were being significantly exacerbated by the situation in the Middle East.
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