Like many airlines, Spirit is grappling with intense pressure from soaring fuel costs, which have roughly doubled since the outbreak of the Iran war.<\/a> Without a government bailout, these escalating expenses are rapidly depleting Spirit\u2019s remaining cash reserves.<\/p>\n The struggling carrier had been engaged in negotiations with the Trump administration for a $500 million rescue package<\/a>. However, these efforts have stalled, as Spirit was unable to garner the necessary support from its bondholders and other government stakeholders, sources familiar with the situation informed the Wall Street Journal <\/a> on Friday.<\/p>\n It follows United\u2019s CEO announcing that the airline may need to raise fares by as much as 20 per cent, while Lufthansa<\/a>\u2019s airline group cancelled 20,000 flights<\/a> in bids to protect their airlines from the soaring cost of oil.<\/p>\n So far the impact on British passengers has been limited. Airlines UK, representing the main carriers, says:\u201cAirlines continue to operate normally and are not experiencing issues with jet fuel supply.\u201d<\/p>\n Britain has asked UK refineries to maximise jet fuel supply as it continues to plan for a range of contingencies to increase flexibility on supply, the government said. <\/p>\n The \u200bEuropean Commission proposed a series of measures to address the \u2060impact on the region’s energy markets<\/a> from the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran. The Commission said the measures – \u2060announced \u200bin a \u2060package called ‘AccelerateEU’ – included optimising the distribution of jet fuel \u2060between EU countries<\/a>, in \u200border \u2060to avoid \u200cshortages.<\/p>\n Below is a list of how airlines are responding, in alphabetical order:<\/p>\n Aegean Airlines<\/p>\n The Greek airline expects suspended Middle East flights and a spike in fuel prices to have a “notable impact” on its first-quarter results.<\/p>\n AirAsia X<\/p>\n The Malaysian airline’s executives said the company had cut 10% of flights across the group, with a surcharge of about 20% on fuel in general.<\/p>\n Air France-KLM<\/p>\n 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 ($58) per round trip.<\/p>\n The group’s Dutch arm KLM cancelled more than 150 European flights<\/a> due to the rising cost of jet fuel.<\/p>\n The Dutch airline will not operate 80 return flights out of Amsterdam\u2019s Schiphol airport<\/a> over the next month.<\/p>\n The flights are \u201ccurrently no longer financially viable to operate\u201d due to rising kerosene costs, said KLM<\/a>.<\/p>\n Air Canada<\/p>\n Canada’s largest carrier plans to trim four of its 38 daily flights to New York due to higher fuel prices. The four flights to JFK International Airport will be cut from 1 June to 25 October 2026.<\/p>\n Air India<\/p>\n The Indian carrier said it would revise its fuel surcharge from a flat domestic surcharge to a distance-based grid. It said surcharges on international routes did not compensate for the exponential \u2060rise in fuel prices.<\/p>\n Airline Operators of Nigeria<\/p>\n Nigeria<\/a>‘s government moved to cap jet fuel prices<\/a> and allow airlines<\/a> to purchase supplies on credit, in an effort to avert widespread flight disruptions caused by escalating fuel costs.<\/a><\/p>\n A government document, seen by Reuters, indicates that the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has set price limits for aviation fuel.<\/a><\/p>\n Nigerian airlines temporarily suspended a planned nationwide shutdown of flight operations<\/a>, which was set to begin on April 20, after the government intervened amid crippling fuel prices. The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), an industry body representing a dozen primarily domestic carriers, had warned they would halt services from April 20, citing that surging jet fuel costs had rendered operations unsustainable.<\/p>\n Air New Zealand<\/p>\n The airline said on 7 April it would slash flights through May and June and hike fares, having been one of the first to announce broad increases to ticket prices when the conflict broke out. It also suspended its full-year earnings forecast due to fuel market volatility.<\/p>\n Air Transat<\/p>\n The Canadian airline said it would reduce planned capacity by 6% from May until October this year, with cuts expected on routes to Europe and the Caribbean and its service to Cuba remaining suspended until October.<\/p>\n Akasa Air<\/p>\n India’s Akasa Air said it was introducing a fuel surcharge ranging between 199 and 1,300 Indian rupees ($2 to $14) on domestic and international flights.<\/p>\n Alaska Air<\/p>\n The U.S. airline said it would increase fees for the first checked bag by $5 and by $10 for the second on its North American flights, as well as for its Hawaiian Airlines unit. It hiked prices for a third checked bag from $50 to $200.<\/p>\n The carrier withdrew its full-year profit forecast as the sharp rise in jet fuel prices put pressure on margins.<\/p>\n American Airlines<\/p>\n The U.S. carrier said it would hike checked baggage fees by $10 each for the first and second checked bags and by $150 for the third checked bag on domestic and short-haul international flights. It also trimmed certain \u2060benefits for economy passengers.<\/p>\n It had earlier said it expected a $400m increase in first-quarter expenses due to fuel prices.<\/p>\n Asiana Airlines<\/p>\n The South Korean airline will slash 22 flights between April and \u200bJuly due to the \u2060fuel cost increase, Newsis reported.<\/p>\n Cathay Pacific<\/p>\n The Hong Kong airline said it would cut some flight from mid-May until the end of June, cancelling about 2% of its scheduled passenger flights, while its budget airline HK Express was cutting around 6% of flights.<\/p>\n The carrier previously said it would hike its fuel surcharge by 34% across routes from April 1 and review them every two weeks.<\/p>\n The airline raised HK$2.08 billion ($265.58 million) from three-year fixed-rate notes at a yield of 3.78%, according to a term sheet seen by Reuters on Wednesday.<\/p>\n Cebu Air<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n China Eastern Airlines<\/p>\n The airline said it would raise \u2060fuel surcharges for domestic flights from 5 April, with flights of 800km and below hit with a 60 yuan ($9) surcharge and a 120 yuan surcharge for flights over 800km.<\/p>\n Delta Air Lines<\/p>\n Delta said it would cut capacity by around 3.5 percentage points from its original plan and raise fees for checked \u200bbags in an attempt to offset soaring \u2060jet fuel costs, with an increase of $10 on first and second checked bags and a $50 increase on the third.<\/p>\n The U.S. \u200cairline pulled all planned capacity growth for the current quarter and forecast profit below Wall Street expectations. Delta CEO said it would hold off on updating the full-year outlook given uncertainty over how long the fuel price spike would last.<\/p>\n Easyjet<\/p>\n EasyJet Holidays told customers they can be confident their holidays will \u201cgo ahead as planned\u201d without extra surcharges.<\/p>\n CEO Garry Wilson said on Saturday, 25 April: \u201cWe know that holidaymakers may have questions about what recent global events might mean for their travel plans this summer, so we are giving our customers absolute peace of mind that no surcharges will be added to their flights or package holidays.\u201d<\/p>\n EasyJet <\/a>had previously warned of a bigger half-year pre-tax loss<\/a> of between \u00a3540m and \u00a3560m ($731m and $758m), including \u00a325m in extra fuel costs in March.<\/p>\n CEO Kenton Jarvis previously said European consumers should expect higher ticket prices towards the end of summer, when existing fuel hedges come to an end.<\/p>\n Frontier Airlines<\/p>\n The U.S. airline is reviewing its full-year forecast as fuel prices have increased significantly since it issued the outlook.<\/p>\n Greater Bay Airlines<\/p>\n The Hong Kong-based company said it would raise fuel surcharges on most routes from 1 April, while keeping them unchanged on mainland China and Japan routes.<\/p>\n Its surcharge for flights between Hong Kong \u200cand the Philippines will more than double, the carrier said.<\/p>\n Hong Kong Airlines<\/p>\n The airline said it would raise fuel surcharges by up to 35% from 12 March, with the sharpest increase on flights between Hong Kong and the Maldives, Bangladesh and Nepal, where charges would rise to HK$384 ($49) from HK$284.<\/p>\n British Airways<\/p>\n IAG<\/a> \u2013 which owns British Airways<\/a>, Aer Lingus and Iberia of Spain \u2013 is talking of \u201cpricing adjustments to reflect these higher fuel costs\u201d. A spokesperson said: \u201cWe are not seeing jet fuel supply interruptions, but fuel prices have risen sharply and, despite our hedging strategy, which gives some shorter-term mitigation, we are not immune to the impact.\u201d<\/p>\n However, The Independent\u2019s Simon Calder has reassured customers<\/a> \u201cnot to fret\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cBA will not come after you for more cash, and the airlines can charge only what the market will bear. And judging from some of the prices on offer<\/a>, that isn\u2019t a lot,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Indigo<\/p>\n India’s biggest airline said it would introduce fuel charges on domestic and international flights from 14 March, including a charge of 900 rupees for flights to the Middle East and a charge of 2,300 rupees for flights to Europe. The company is also lobbying the Indian government to cut fuel taxes, sources told Reuters.<\/p>\n Jet2<\/p>\n Britain’s biggest holiday company has vowed not to surcharge summer holidaymakers<\/a> due to rising jet fuel costs.<\/p>\n Speaking on Friday, chief executive Steve Heapy said: \u201cHolidaymakers should have every right to book their hard-earned break in the sun, without worrying about being hit with additional costs, and they can have that complete assurance when they book a flight or holiday with Jet2<\/a>. Customers booking with Jet2<\/a> know that they are locking in their price without additional cost surprises later.\u201d<\/p>\n Jetblue Airways<\/p>\n The U.S.-based low-cost carrier said it was increasing fees for optional services such as checked baggage as it experiences “rising operating \u2060costs”. Baggage prices will rise by either $4 or $9, it said.<\/p>\n Joanna Geraghty, CEO of the U.S.-based low-cost carrier, told employees in a memo seen by Reuters that the carrier would not consider bankruptcy this year, even as rising jet fuel costs threaten its financial recovery. The company entered a $500 million debt financing agreement, according to an SEC filing.<\/p>\n Korean Air<\/p>\n The South Korean carrier will enter emergency management mode from April, as rising oil prices weigh on costs, a source with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. The airline plans to implement phased response measures based on oil price levels, and step up company-wide cost efficiency to offset surging fuel costs.<\/p>\n Lufthansa<\/p>\n Lufthansa<\/a> Group announced on Tuesday 21 April that it will cancel 20,000 flights over the next six months<\/a> to save 40,000 metric tonnes of jet fuel, which it said had doubled in price.<\/p>\n It said it has axed \u201cunprofitable\u201d short-haul flights operated by its regional subsidiary Lufthansa CityLine, reducing the entire group\u2019s capacity by one per cent in available seat kilometres this summer.<\/p>\n Lufthansa CityLine has hubs in Frankfurt and Munich. The first 120 daily flight cancellations<\/a> took effect on Monday and will continue through the end of May. The airline said affected passengers have been notified.<\/p>\n The group has also permanently removed the 27 Lufthansa CityLine aircraft from operation. Some routes have also been cancelled in their entirety, including from Frankfurt to Bydgoszcz and Rzesz\u00f3w in Poland, as well as Stavanger in Norway, meaning they have been temporarily removed from the flight schedule.<\/p>\n Norse Atlantic<\/p>\n Low-cost Norwegian airline Norse Atlantic has cancelled its flight route between London Gatwick and Los Angeles due to the rise in fuel prices.<\/p>\n Pakistan International Airlines<\/p>\n The carrier said it would raise domestic flight fares by $20 and international fares by up to $100, citing higher fuel surcharges.<\/p>\n Qantas Airways<\/p>\n Australia’s Qantas said it had delayed a planned A$150m ($106m) buyback and was raising its estimated fuel bill for the second half of 2026 to A$3.1bn-A$3.3bn, from a previous A$2.5bn forecast.<\/p>\n Ryanair<\/p>\n Ryanair\u2019s chief executive<\/a>, Michael O\u2019Leary, has warned that several European airlines could face significant financial difficulties and potential failures if jet fuel prices remain high throughout the summer season. <\/p>\n Despite the volatile market, O’Leary affirmed that Ryanair is ‘the best insulated, most hedged airline in Europe’ and committed to not imposing price increases or fuel surcharges on its customers. <\/p>\n SAS<\/p>\n The Scandinavian airline said it would cancel 1,000 flights in April because of high oil and jet fuel prices, after cancelling a “couple hundred” flights in March.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Spirit Airlines<\/p>\n Spirit Airlines<\/a> is reportedly preparing to shut down<\/a> after efforts to save the struggling budget carrier fell apart. <\/p>\n The Wall Street Journal<\/a> reported Friday that the airline was hoping a $500 million lifeline from the government would come through before it ran out of cash but it hasn\u2019t been able to secure the funding to keep it in business. <\/p>\n The carrier announced Thursday that a bankruptcy court hearing would not proceed as the airline continued negotiations with lenders regarding the potential U.S. government rescue package. Lenders had refrained from filing a notice that could initiate the liquidation of Spirit\u2019s assets within seven business days, indicating ongoing discussions and a temporary halt to immediate liquidation proceedings. <\/p>\n Spirit\u2019s legal counsel highlighted a critical need for immediate new financing or access to $240 million of its existing funds, warning that liquidation would result in the loss of over 17,000 jobs and billions of dollars in claims. <\/p>\n Spring Airlines<\/p>\n The budget Chinese airline said it would raise fuel surcharges on domestic flights from 5 April, with details to be announced later.<\/p>\n Southwest Airlines<\/p>\n The American carrier forecast second-quarter profit below estimates as margins were dented by high fuel prices. It previously said it would hike checked baggage fees by $10 for the first and second bags, raising costs to $45 for the first bag and $55 for the second.<\/p>\n TAP<\/p>\n The Portuguese airline said its price hikes would partially mitigate the impact of fuel \u200cprice changes on its revenue.<\/p>\n Thai Airways<\/p>\n The Thailand-based carrier said it would raise fares by 10% to 15% to address rising fuel costs.<\/p>\n TUI<\/p>\n Europe’s largest tour operator TUI<\/a> has reassured customers who have already booked their holidays that the price is fixed \u201cwith no fuel surcharges added.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"United](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/2272449578.jpg\")
United Airlines cut its full-year outlook to $7\u2013$11 per share from $12\u2013$14 earlier in the year before the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran. (Getty)<\/p>\n![\"Jet](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Jet_Fuel_Shortage_Explainer_31115.jpg\")
Jet Fuel Canada’s largest carrier plans to trim four of its 38 daily flights to New York. (AP)<\/p>\n![\"Easyjet](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/2026-04-16T062514Z_1977052121_RC25QKABPH8M_RTRMADP_3_EASYJET-OUTLOOK.jpg\")
Easyjet said European consumers should expect higher ticket prices. (Reuters)<\/p>\n![\"Lufthansa](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Jet_Fuel_Shortage_Explainer_85615.jpg\")
Lufthansa said it would ground 27 planes servicing its short-haul CityLine subsidiary. (AP)<\/p>\n![\"KLM](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/2026-04-16T192701Z_870651635_RC2LPKALBPW2_RTRMADP_3_IRAN-CRISIS-OIL-NETHERLANDS.jpg\")
KLM said on April 16 it would cancel 160 flights in Europe in the coming month. (Reuters)<\/p>\n
![\"British](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/2268673201.jpg\")
British Airways-owner IAG said in March it did not plan to increase ticket prices immediately. (Getty)<\/p>\n