Travellers should be aware that budget carrier Ryanair is reducing flights to popular destinations, including Spain, Germany, France, and Portugal.
Travellers should be aware that budget carrier Ryanair is reducing flights to popular destinations, including Spain, Germany, France, and Portugal.
In 2026, Ryanair will make major changes to its European routes, cutting millions of seats from its schedule. The airline plans to leave some airports entirely after disagreements with local authorities about fees. These changes will affect flights to popular tourist spots in Spain, Portugal, Germany, and France.
Ryanair says it made this decision because higher aviation taxes, airport fees, and other costs are making some routes too expensive to keep running.
This news follows a warning from Ryanair’s chief executive, who said before the recent two-week ceasefire between Iran, the US, and Israel, that the airline may not be able to run its full summer schedule if the Strait of Hormuz stays closed, because of fuel shortages.
In an interview with ITV News, chief executive Michael O’Leary said that if the war in Iran does not end “by the end of April”, he expects European airlines will begin cutting scheduled flights. Stay in the know by making sure you’re receiving our daily newsletter
“The Strait of Hormuz has been closed for 30 days. If it remains closed for 60 or 90 days, then we’re all facing an unknown scenario, and we are certainly looking at maybe having to cancel 5%–10% of flights through May, June and July,” he said.
O’Leary explained that airlines will not be able to choose which routes to cut. Instead, reductions will depend on which airports have fuel supply problems, according to the Liverpool Echo.
He said he expects jet fuel suppliers will give only a few days’ notice, which will make disruptions hard to manage. Still, he encouraged passengers to book their summer holidays “as quickly as they can”.
The conflict is driving up oil prices, making energy more expensive. Airlines have been increasing ticket prices because fuel costs are going up, and jet fuel is their biggest expense after labour.
According to Reuters, airlines such as Qantas Airways and Air New Zealand are raising fares because of the conflict in the Middle East. Airlines around the world are struggling with fuel prices, which have risen from $85–$90 per barrel to $150–$200 per barrel in recent weeks.
Travel expert Simon Calder has also warned passengers flying with British Airways, EasyJet, and Ryanair that while fuel supplies should meet demand for the rest of April, there is uncertainty for May and the summer months.
Mr Calder had already warned passengers that UK flight cancellations have started, partly because of lower demand and rising fuel costs. He also pointed out that airlines are worried about a “jet fuel cliff”, which means a possible collapse of Jet A-1 fuel supplies worldwide.
On April 8, 2026, however, oil prices fell sharply after the US and Iran agreed to a conditional ceasefire to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Brent crude dropped more than 13% to about $94–$95 a barrel.
Even with the ceasefire, flight prices may not drop right away. Willie Walsh, head of the airline industry’s global trade group, told Bloomberg that the two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran is “positive” for aviation, but jet fuel and ticket prices will stay high for a while.
“Even two weeks is a positive because we will see some flow of oil return,” said Walsh, who will become chief executive officer of Indian budget airline IndiGo later this year, in an interview with Bloomberg Television.
We will bring you the latest as soon as we get it, and make sure to follow our senior travel reporter, Portia Jones, on TikTok for updates.
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