On Thursday (April 2), CEO Michael O’Leary urged those who are yet to book a trip abroad for the warmer months of the year, whether flying with Ryanair or other airlines, to do so “now”.
Speaking to ITV News Economics Editor Joel Hills, he “strongly” advised: “There’s no doubt that bookings for lots of people who would have planned to go to the Gulf or fly with Gulf carriers longer haul, are all now rebooking to go to Portugal, France, Italy, Greece, European spots.
“Accommodation prices are rising, air fares are rising into peak summer, I would book your summer holidays now, as quickly as you can”.
Ryanair boss warns of flight cancellations due to jet fuel prices
However, Michael also highlighted that if the Middle East war carries on over the next few months, a percentage of flights may be cancelled due the cost of jet fuel.
It comes as oil prices, which have a significant effect on the cost of wholesale fuel, have soared in response to Iran’s stranglehold on tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
The RAC said the average price of a litre of diesel at UK forecourts on Wednesday (April 1) was 184.2p, up 29% since the war started on February 28.
Average petrol prices have reached 153.7p per litre, a rise of 16% over the same period.
In conversation with ITV ’s Joel, Michael explained that “we are all facing an unknown scenario” if the war continues into May or June, and the Strait of Hormuz remains closed for the “next 60 to 90 days”.
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He continued: “We are certainly looking at maybe having to cancel 5%, 10% of flights through maybe May, June and July.
“The message from the airline industry is the sooner this war is over, the better, and the sooner we get oil supplies moving again, the better.”
Regarding which flights and routes that would “likely” be cancelled first if a difficult decision had to be made, Michael said: “Airlines won’t have that flexibility to choose routes, we have aircraft that are based at 95% of airports across Europe.
“We’ll have to cancel routes at whichever airport, where the fuel companies advise us, we are short of Jet A1 [fuel], say Malaga Airport or we’re short of Jet A1 at Athens Airport, it’ll be those kind of decisions.
“We’ll get very little notice, we’ll be told I think within five or seven days’ notice, so we will then, we’ll look around and we’ll be trying to ground one or two aircraft and minimise the inconvenience for customers.
“But it’s going to be difficult, it’s going to be challenging.”
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UK airline cancels flights due to ‘huge rise in the global cost of fuel’
Michael’s aviation travel update comes shortly after UK airline Skybus has ceased all flights between Newquay Airport and London Gatwick from today (April 3) partly due to the “huge rise in the global cost of fuel”.
In a statement published by multiple news outlets, including ITV , Skybus managing director Jonathan Hinkles said: “The huge rise in the global cost of fuel following the conflict in the Gulf, coupled with a significant drop in new passenger bookings since mid-February’s announcement of the planned closure of the PSO air route, forms an insurmountable barrier to the service continuing through April and May.
“At a time of great economic uncertainty and steps being taken to conserve energy worldwide, it is neither environmentally nor economically sound for us to continue flying with vastly reduced passenger numbers.”
The last flight operated on Thursday (April 2) and all passengers who have had upcoming journeys cancelled will be refunded, according to the airline.
Newsquest has contacted Skybus for comment.
Are you worried about any upcoming flights being cancelled due to the current fuel concerns? Let us know in the comments below.
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