Airlines axe 120 UK flights in May amid concern over jet fuel shortages

Some 120 flights from the UK this month have been cancelled, new figures show, as jet fuel prices surge and fears of shortages grow.

Aviation analytics company Cirium said airlines have axed 120 of the 22,613 departures initially scheduled from UK airports in May, equivalent to 0.53%.

The number of outbound flights planned for June is 36 lower than a week ago.

This represents a 0.2% reduction and means capacity for the month has fallen by 7,972 seats.

The final week of May is a peak period for holidays as it is half-time at many schools.

For all flights globally, some 13,005 planned for May were cancelled between April 10 and April 21, equivalent to 1.5%.

That reduced capacity by almost two million seats.

Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of Advantage Travel Partnership, a network of independent travel agents, said airlines are “assessing poor performance flights and consolidating or cancelling as required”.

She added that UK departures to popular summer hotspots “remain unaffected” and insisted “customers can continue to book with confidence”.

Paul Charles, founder of travel consultancy The PC Agency, said: “Airlines are now being forced to cut flights and make difficult decisions ahead of the peak season.

“It is better for them to cancel flights well in advance so that passengers are less inconvenienced than a last-minute change of plan.

“As the Iran conflict continues, there will need to be many more cancellations as the jet fuel supply is squeezed.”
Iran continues to have a stranglehold on tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz , leading to a surge in oil prices and concerns of jet fuel shortages.

Oil prices drop below 100 dollars a barrel on renewed hopes over peace deal
Government needs to act on Middle East impact on retail, industry warns
Iran war could cause job losses in Britain, minister warns
Rediscover your adventurous side on an exotic getaway
But on Sunday, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said summer holiday plans will not face major disruption because of the latter.

She revealed that more fuel has been imported from America , while refineries have upped their production.