Major UK budget airlines including Ryanair, easyJet, Jet2 and Wizz Air have issued statements amid ongoing uncertainty over global jet fuel shortages
Ben Hurst and Robert Rowlands Deputy editor, money and lifestyle hub
14:14, 02 May 2026
Airline passengers queueing at an airport – Brits will be hoping to avoid disruption on their travels this summer(Image: Bloomberg, Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Europe’s biggest budget airlines have insisted they are confident of running normal flight operations throughout the peak holiday season. It comes despite warnings from a leading analyst over potential jet fuel shortages hitting the UK this summer.
Ano Kuhanathan, head of corporate research at insurer Allianz, has warned that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz leaves Britain considerably more exposed than other European countries to supply disruptions. Roughly three quarters of Europe’s jet fuel originates from the Middle East and passes through the vital shipping lane.
He explained: “The UK is Europe’s most structurally exposed market to jet fuel shortages, relying heavily on imports to meet aviation demand and running persistent refining kerosene deficit, leaving it particularly vulnerable to supply shocks.” Despite these concerns, senior figures at Britain’s leading low-cost carriers have voiced confidence in their capacity to deliver a full flight schedule across the summer period, reports the Liverpool Echo.
A spokesperson for Jet2 said: “We remain in continual dialogue with our fuel suppliers, as is standard practice. Based on the conversations we have been having, we see no reason not to look forward to operating our scheduled programme of flights and holidays as normal.”
The reassurances come after Heathrow airport separately cautioned on Wednesday that passenger numbers for the remainder of the year are expected to be impacted by the ongoing situation in the Middle East. Laura Lindsay, spokesperson for the price-comparison platform Skyscanner, suggested that travel demand is shifting rather than disappearing. She told The Independent’s daily travel podcast: “We know that people do still want to get away. It may be reduced internationally and increased domestically, for example.”
Jet2 has said holidaymakers are increasingly booking their trips at the last minute since the start of the Iran war amid growing anxiety over the impact of the conflict and concerns over jet fuel supply. The company said summer passenger number bookings so far are up 6.2% thanks to growth across its airline and package holiday business, but in a sign of rising nervousness amongst holidaymakers, it revealed the “booking profile has become increasingly close to departure” due to the Middle East war.
It said it is well protected from the fuel cost spike caused by the Iran war for the crucial summer season, adding it is “maintaining frequent dialogue with our fuel suppliers and airport partners on fuel supply”.
Michael O’Leary, Ryanair’s chief executive, said that “the risk of a supply disruption is receding”, with no disruption risk before the end of June. However, he noted that the UK faces greater exposure compared to other major nations.
EasyJet confirmed it plans to operate “a full schedule across its network”. The chief executive of easyJet Holidays, Garry Wilson said: “Our operations remain unaffected, so customers can be confident that not only will their holiday go ahead as planned, but there will be no surprise extra payments.”
Yvonne Moynihan, managing director of Wizz Air UK said: “We have just launched our biggest-ever network from the UK and in particular from Luton. Despite the challenging geopolitical crisis, business goes on as usual. In airlines, we are well used to crises, so we are resilient and we’re well adapted.
“For low-cost airlines like Wizz in the UK, we don’t see any shortage of fuel.” The airline boss explained that should a shortage emerge in the UK, Wizz Air could source fuel from other countries – a strategy known as “tankering”.
“We can take more fuel than is required in those destinations,” she said. “We can even fly to other countries and and pit-stop, if you will, if we need additional fuel
“But we’re not seeing an Armageddon situation. We have fuel supply. We have other mechanisms for uplifting fuel.” Wizz Air holds the position of Europe’s third-largest budget carrier, behind Ryanair and easyJet.
Jet2, easyJet and TUI have pledged not to charge any travellers supplementary fees for fuel price rises.