Britain looks set to be one of the countries hardest hit by jet fuel shortages this summer, with warnings that millions more seats will be cut from airline schedules in May and June.
Several carriers, including Germany’s Lufthansa, have already slashed schedules to save fuel, with at least 13,000 flights – representing two million fewer seats – cancelled worldwide by airlines already this month.
Other carriers, including easyJet and British Airways, have warned that prices will have to rise as airlines’ fuel bills rocket.
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Four key takeaways from Starmer’s antisemitism summit
Iran’s attempts to incite antisemitism in the UK “will not
be tolerated”, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said.
Here are the main points from
the Downing Street summit.
Caption: LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 5: Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks during a meeting with civic leaders to discuss tackling antisemitism at Downing Street on May 5, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Hannah McKay – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Photographer: WPA Pool
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images Europe
Key takeaways
1Starmer said one of the lines of inquiry is whether a foreign state is behind the attacks.
2He announced £1.5m funding to strengthen community cohesion and protect Jews in at-risk areas.
3Ministers are “fast-tracking legislation” allowing them to ban state threats such as Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps.
4Universities must publish the scale of antisemitism on campus and show how they are tackling it.
Go deeper on this topic
The measures to protect the Jewish community come after the stabbing of two Jewish men in Golders Green and a series of attacks at synagogues and other sites in recent months.
Starmer has faced criticism that he has not done enough to keep the community safe, and was heckled during a visit to the north London suburb on Thursday.
Caption: TOPSHOT – Local residents look on from outside a cordoned off area in the Golders Green neighbourhood of north London on April 29, 2026, following the stabbing to two people nearby. Two people were stabbed on April 29 in north London, Jewish groups said, following a series of arson attacks targeting Jewish sites in the area. A man was arrested after he was seen running with a knife “attempting to stab Jewish members of the public”, the Shomrim Jewish neighbourhood watch said on social media. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP via Getty Images)
Photographer: JUSTIN TALLIS
Provider: AFP via Getty Images
Source: AFP
Copyright: AFP or licensors
NEWS
7 min read
Starmer’s message to Iran
One of the lines of inquiry is whether a foreign state has been behind some of these incidents…Our message to Iran, or to any other country that might seek to foment violence, hatred or division in society, is that it will not be tolerated.
SiR KEIR STARMER, PRIME MINISTER
Caption: LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 30: Prime Minister Keir Starmer (C) and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood (CR) meet members of Shomrim, the Jewish community security organisation, in Golders Green following yesterday’s attack on April 30, 2026 in Golders Green, England. A 45-year-old British-Somali man was arrested yesterday, after stabbing two Jewish men, Shloime Rand and Moshe Shine, in a terrorist attack in Golders Green. Both victims are in a stable condition, and the suspect was caught by police after being tasered. The government has since pledged ??25 million to improve security for the Jewish community following the incident. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)
Photographer: Leon Neal
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images Europe
Copyright: 2026 Getty Images
CELEBRITIES
Dolly Parton cancels previously postponed Las Vegas residency
Caption: NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – MARCH 20: Dolly Parton attends Dolly Parton’s Threads: My Songs In Symphony World Premiere at Schermerhorn Symphony Center on March 20, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
Photographer: Jason Kempin
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images North America
Copyright: 2025 Getty Images
Country star Dolly Parton has said she is “truly sorry” to those who have tickets to see her in Las Vegas as she announced she is cancelling her previously postponed residency due to ill health.
The 80-year-old told her Instagram followers that “everything I have is treatable” but said it would take a while “before I’m up to stage-performance level”.
What we know
In a video posted to her official Instagram account, she said the medication she is on “make me a lit bit swimmy-headed, as my grandma used to say”. Parton was originally due to perform six shows at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in December, but was forced to postpone them due to unspecified “health challenges”.
Caption: GLASTONBURY, ENGLAND – JUNE 29: Dolly Parton performs on the Pyramid Stage on Day 3 of the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm on June 29, 2014 in Glastonbury, England. (Photo by Samir Hussein/Redferns via Getty Images)
Photographer: Samir Hussein
Provider: Redferns via Getty Images
Source: Redferns
LIFESTYLE
4 min read
A closer look at the detail
Her dates were moved to this September, but she announced she was cancelling them on Monday.
Country music icon Dolly Parton (Photo: Getty/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank)
Caption: Dolly Parton in a scene from the film ‘Nine To Five’, 1980. (Photo by 20th Century-Fox/Getty Images)
Photographer: Archive Photos
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Moviepix
“The good news is I’m responding really well to meds and treatments and I’m improving every day,” she said in the Instagram video.
Fans urged not to worry
She also told her fans that her doctors have assured her “that everything I have is treatable, so I’m going with that”. Last year, Parton posted a video to social media joking that she “ain’t dead yet”, following public speculation about her health.
MUSIC
3 min read
CULTURE
3 min read
Co-op is confident it’s stores will be ‘back to normal’ within days (Photo: Chris J Ratcliffe/Reuters)
NEWS
The supermarket using invisible spray to combat shoplifting
Co-op has been secretly marking frequently shoplifted groceries with a special forensic spray to tackle the resale of stolen goods.
Here’s how the invisible spray works, and how the company hopes it will make shoplifting less profitable.
What’s the story?
Co-op has been marking items with an invisible spray that contains a unique forensic code linked to the shop where it was originally sold, according to Retail Gazette.
Retail theft on the increase – woman stealing in UK supermarket. (Photo:
Andrey Popov/Getty Images
Copyright: Copyright (C) Andrey Popov
Caption: A shopper walks along an aisle inside a Tesco supermarket in Manchester, Britain, February 5, 2026 REUTERS/Phil Noble
Photographer: Phil Noble
Provider: REUTERS
Source: REUTERS
Co-op has invested £250m in store security, including body-worn cameras for staff, reinforced kiosks for items such as spirits and tobacco, and shelf fixtures designed to stop thieves sweeping products into bags.
How does the scheme work?
Where?
The scheme has been trialled in Manchester and London and will be rolled out across the UK.
Which items?
High-risk items such as alcohol, laundry detergent and confectionary have been sprayed.
Why?
The aim is to help Co-op and the police identify where stolen products are being resold, making theft less profitable.
NEWS
2 min read
Are you ready for a change?
One career expert shares the surefire signs you’re ready for the next step in your career, and how to turn fear into excitement for new opportunities.
The research
Our research shows almost half of all workers (45 per cent) are ready for a complete career transition, but 49 per cent feel stuck on what to pursue next. The rapid shifts brought about by AI can be intimidating, but it will also create opportunities…
CHARLOTTE DAVIES, LINKEDIN UK CAREER EXPERT
Young woman at her first job interview with the owner of a coffee shop – stock photo. (Photo: Getty)
Signs you’ve outgrown your role
(Photo: Getty).
It’s an energy drain
If you’re clocking in and out with zero energy, that could be a sign of burnout by boredom.
You’re not learning
If you can handle all tasks on autopilot, you are not challenging yourself. Instead you’re operating purely on muscle memory.
Education, laptop and typing with student friends in library of university together for learning or study. Computer, development or growth with serious men and women on college campus for scholarship – stock photo. (Photo: Getty)
(Photo: DMP/Getty Images).
You don’t feel valued
It can be extremely demotivating, and if it occurs consistently, it’s a strong signal that it might be time to consider moving on.
Your brain has started a side project
Caption: Side hustles
Photographer: swissmediavision
Provider: Getty Images
Source: E+
When you are seeking out professional development and learning opportunities elsewhere that should be happening at work, it’s a huge signal that you need a job that keeps up with your ambition.
LIFESTYLE
7 min read
You don’t see a path to promotion
Medium shot of businessman leading meeting in office conference room – stock photo. (Photo: Getty)
If you go into a meeting asking for a growth plan or a promotion roadmap and all you get are vague promises and non-committal language, that’s actually your answer: they aren’t planning for your potential.
A manager who truly values you should be able to list specific training, projects or goals to get you to the next level.
What to do next
You don’t need to make drastic moves.
The very first step is to diagnose the root cause if things feel unsettled, and don’t just assume it’s the job itself.
Find someone trustworthy to talk to. This isn’t a complaint session, it’s about getting perspective.
Refresh your LinkedIn profile and start reviving your in-person network.
Thinking of a new field? Check out a short course or certification to ‘test the waters’ before jumping.
George Michael in 1985 during the Wham! years (Photo: Michael Putland/Getty)
music
Careless Whisper voted nation’s favourite
George Michael’s beloved 1984 hit has been ranked the number one track for the eighth year running.
His 1986 hit A Different Corner came in at number two.
I’m never gonna dance again
Careless Whisper came top of Smooth Radio’s All Time Top 500 list.
Michael’s first breakaway single from Wham!, he penned the lyrics when he was just 17-years-old.
Smooth Radio presenter Kate Garraway said: “It’s a fitting tribute to one of the greatest artists of all time.”
George Michael: Outed wil be broadcast on Channel 4 (Photo: Jim Steinfeldt/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty)
MUSIC
7 min read
Top of the pops
1Careless Whisper – George Michael
2A Different Corner – George Michael
3Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen
4Man In The Mirror – Michael Jackson
5Bridge Over Troubled Water – Simon and Garfunkel
ROYAL FAMILY
Princess Eugenie pregnant with third child
Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank have moved into Frogmore Cottage, the Grade II listed home of Meghan and Harry. It is understood the Sussexes will retain the residence near Windsor Castle but Eugenie and Mr Brooksbank, who married in 2018, will share the property. (Photo: David Mirzoeff/PA Wire)
Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank are “very pleased” to be expecting their third child to be born this summer, Buckingham Palace said.
The King is “delighted” with the news, while the couple’s sons August, five, and Ernest, two, are “very excited” to welcome a younger sister or brother to the family.
What you need to know
In a photograph shared by Eugenie, 36, Ernest and August can be seen holding a picture of a baby scan. In a statement, Buckingham Palace said: “Her Royal Highness Princess Eugenie and Mr Jack Brooksbank are very pleased to announce that they are expecting their third child together, due this summer.”
Analysis
3 min read
OPINION
3 min read
Could the new baby be king or queen?
Caption: Sarah, Duchess of York with her daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie during a visit to the Teenage Cancer Trust unit at University College Hospital, London. Picture date: Wednesday April 23, 2025. PA Photo. See PA story ROYAL Sarah. Photo credit should read: Aaron Chown/PA Wire
Photographer: Aaron Chown
Provider: Aaron Chown/PA Wire
Source: PA
Copyright: PA
The baby, who will not be an HRH, will be born 15th in line to the throne, with the Duke of Edinburgh moving down to 16th place.
NEWS
4 min read
Fifth grandchild for Andrew
The new arrival will be the fifth grandchild of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, following the birth of Princess Beatrice’s daughter Athena Mapelli Mozzi in January last year.
Caption: (L-R) Britain’s Princess Eugenie of York, Britain’s Princess Beatrice of York and Britain’s Prince Andrew, Duke of York leave Buckingham Palace to meet guests at the Patron’s Lunch, a special street party outside Buckingham Palace in London on June 12, 2016, as part of the three day celebrations for Queen Elizabeth II’s official 90th birthday. Up to 10,000 people are expected to attend the Patron’s Lunch along with the monarch, her husband Prince Philip, Prince William and Prince Harry. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP) (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Photographer: JUSTIN TALLIS
Provider: AFP via Getty Images
Source: AFP
Copyright: AFP
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been mostly laying low since his move to Marsh Farm (Photo: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP)
Caption: An archive image of the cruise ship Hondius, in Vlissingen, Netherlands May 17, 2025. IMAGE OBTAINED BY REUTERS/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES VERIFICATION: – Reuters confirmed the location from the shipyard, signage and fuel depot which matched file and satellite images. – Coordinates of the shipyard: 51.461283930722175, 3.6998162498897433. – The date when the pictures were taken was verified by original file metadata.
Photographer: IMAGE OBTAINED BY REUTERS
Provider: via REUTERS
Source: Handout
health
What caused the fatal cruise ship outbreak?
A rare outbreak of hantavirus, transmitted by rodents, has killed three on a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean, leaving one Briton in intensive care.
What’s the situation?
A suspected hantavirus outbreak has left three people dead and one in intensive care.
It occurred on the MV Hondius cruise liner, which was travelling from Argentina to Cape Verde.
The ship is now grounded in South Africa, and five more suspected cases are under investigation.
One British national is reportedly in intensive care and tested positive for the virus.
NEWS
3 min read
What is hantavirus?
Hantavirus cases are usually linked to environmental exposure, such as contact with waste from infected rodents.
In rare cases they can spread between people, resulting in severe respiratory illness.
It can cause two diseases, one that primarily affects the lungs and the other that attacks the kidneys.
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, the respiratory illness, is most commonly found in the Americas.
What are the symptoms?
Photographer: ljubaphoto
Provider: Getty Images
So it begins
At the outset, it has flu-like symptoms, such as fatigue and fever, one to eight weeks after exposure.
Respiratory effects
Four to ten days later, coughing, shortness of breath and fluid in the lungs appear.
Caption: Adult man wearing a yellow hoodie in a living room, coughing or sneezing into elbow.
Photographer: ti-ja
Provider: Getty Images
Source: E+
Young women patient’s hand receiving IV drip medicine after surgery – stock photo. (Photo: Getty)
No known treatment
There is no specific therapy, so treatment includes rest and fluids. Some may be put on a ventilator.
Can you learn to love pigeons? A much-unloved animal in the UK
Features writer Kasia Delgado went on a safari to see if she
could look past their rat-like nature
The tour guide
People think pigeons are stupid but lots of studies have shown them to have amazing memories, that they can identify people by their facial features, and they have an extraordinary sense of direction.
Florence Wilkinson, author of Wild City: Encounters with Urban Wildlife, took Kasia on a tour.
Positives of pigeons
War heroes
During the Second World War, carrier pigeons were routinely used to send messages, and they saved thousands of lives.
Homing ability
Scientists have put them in blacked-out vans and put miniature goggles on them to blur their vision and still the pigeons manage to return home.
The Dove family
We think of them as all grey, but they vary in shades, and some of them are quite amazingly coloured, says Florence.
Kasia’s feeding test
As I gingerly chuck some seed, wincing slightly, 15 or so flap their wings at me. I wouldn’t say I feel content or relaxed but I don’t hate it as much as I thought I would.
I can see they’re not going to do me harm and after all, they’re just enjoying some free food.
A common myth?
Disease carriers
Research has found that between 1941 and 2004, there were only 207 reports worldwide of pathogens transmitted from pigeons to humans.
According to Cirium, the number of seats available in May among global airlines had dropped from 132 million to 130 million between 10 April and 21 April.
The aviation analytics firm said that as the war in Iran drags on, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz is likely to lead to deeper cuts in June, adding: “The longer the crisis goes on, the more cuts should be expected.”
The figures come amid warnings that airlines in the UK may be forced into rationing fuel due to shortages caused by the stand-off between the US and Iran.
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has cut off about 30 per cent of Europe’s aviation fuel shipments and a rush to source scarce alternative supplies from locations including America and West Africa has led to a doubling in prices.
A separate analysis by French bank Société Générale suggests that if only half of lost supply is replaced, fuel supply levels could breach critical levels by June, raising the possibility of airport-specific shortages and flight cancellations.
Bryan Terry, managing director of Alton Aviation Consulting, told The i Paper: “We anticipate additional cuts, particularly from carriers that have yet to make announcements. Every airline will be paring schedules, dropping the most unprofitable routes and reducing frequencies on busy routes where capacity exceeds demand.”
He added that airlines “typically adjust schedules on a four-to-eight-week lag after a supply shock,” so decisions around June and July flights would be made in the coming days.
Millions of Britons fly to Europe during the summer months, with Spain and Portugal among the most popular destinations along with Italy, France and Turkey.
Experts are increasingly warning that a lack of reserves and refining capacity means the UK is set to be one of the countries most affected by jet fuel shortages.
How at risk are UK jet fuel supplies?
The American-led bombing campaign against Iran and the subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz has produced a scramble to source aviation fuel from elsewhere.
To date, much of this has come from the United States. While jet fuel shipments to Northern Europe from the Middle East fell by between 90 and 100 per cent in March and April, those from North America rose by nearly 800 per cent last month.
But experts warn even such seismic shifts in supply chains cannot adequately replace a pre-war situation where the UK in particular sourced as much as 50 per cent of its jet fuel – a form of kerosene – from the Persian Gulf, now closed by the Iran conflict.
Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. The closure of the strait has cut off about 30 per cent of Europe’s aviation fuel shipments (Photo: Wana News Agency)
The result is that Britain, which is Europe’s largest aviation market by capacity, is said to be particularly vulnerable to shortages because of its hefty reliance on imports, a lack of reserves and a shortage of spare refining capacity to boost domestic production.
In a briefing note, investment bank Goldman Sachs said: “As a result, inventories in some countries, especially the UK, could fall to critically low levels, increasing the likelihood of rationing measures.”
Allianz Trade, part of the Germany-based Allianz finance and insurance group, issued a similar warning, saying Britain was one of a number of countries which routinely use far more aviation kerosene than they can produce.
It said: “Europe’s kerosene market is structurally vulnerable, with most major economies running persistent deficits. The UK, Germany, France and Italy show the largest shortfalls, underscoring their reliance on external supply to meet aviation demand.”
The aviation industry insists there are no immediate problems. Airlines UK, an industry body, said: “Airlines continue to operate normally and are not experiencing issues with jet fuel supply.”
However, according to one insurer, there is the “likelihood of an outright supply shortfall” by the end of this month in Europe. Airlines and regulators have insisted this is unlikely, but have not ruled out shortages hitting in June and throughout the peak summer months of air travel.
What would happen to flights in the event of fuel rationing?
The UK Government and airlines have begun to take steps to try to anticipate supply chain disruption.
Ministers have asked the UK’s four major refineries to maximise jet fuel production in the coming months.
Alternative sources of aviation fuel supply, in particular the Dangote refinery in Nigeria, are also receiving bumper orders and deliveries have already started reaching the UK via Milford Haven.
Most European airlines have hedged their jet fuel costs (Photo: Markus Mainka/Getty)
One industry source predicted fuel rationing would lead to ticket cost rises of about 10 to 15 per cent, saying: “If we reach the stage of [fuel] rationing, you enter a world of trade-offs. Less popular routes would be axed in order to allow services to more popular routes to be maintained.
“In turn, those more popular routes would probably have a reduced frequency, which would mean less choice. But at least flights would reliably operate. On top of that you are looking at price increases to reflect the significantly higher costs that will feed through in the coming weeks and months.”
Could summer holidays be affected?
Regulators and operators are working to try to ensure that any adjustments to schedules and prices are signalled well in advance in order avoid a sudden shock to the aviation system.
However, airline bosses have warned they are facing a scramble to save family holidays.
Michael O’Leary, the chief executive of Ryanair, Europe’s largest airline by passenger numbers, has insisted the carrier has secure fuel supplies until the end of June but claimed that rivals were “desperately” searching for flights to cancel in coming weeks to limit losses.
Last week, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer also started to appear to manage expectations over summer travel, suggesting that Britons may need to rethink “where they go on holiday this year” if the war in the Persian Gulf persists.
But even if there is an unexpected diplomatic or military breakthrough that results in a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, it will take as much as six months for pre-war production levels of aviation fuel to be restored, suggesting potential disruption far beyond the summer period.
Allianz Trade said that the longer the closure of the shipping lane remains, the longer it will take for oil fields and refineries to restore supply chains, meaning high prices for aviation fuel could be set to persist.
The company said: “We estimate a 70 per cent recovery of lost production three months after Hormuz reopens, reaching close to 90 per cent after six months.”