London, May 5, 2026, 13:07 BST
Britain is drafting temporary measures to allow airlines to drop or merge summer flights ahead of time, a move designed to save jet fuel and sidestep last-minute chaos as the holiday rush approaches. According to the Department for Transport, UK carriers aren’t dealing with any current supply issues.
This comes as the summer rush approaches its peak, with fuel supply chains feeling the strain following the shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz—a vital corridor for oil and gas. The UK relies on imports for roughly 65% of its jet fuel, much of which comes from the Middle East, according to The Guardian.
Airlines are typically required to use the bulk of their airport slots—scheduled windows for departures and arrivals—or face losing those slots for the following season. But now, according to Aviation Week, Airport Coordination Limited, which manages UK slots, has changed its policy. If fuel shortages keep flights grounded, carriers won’t be penalized by losing their slots.
The proposed relief measure allows airlines to merge multiple daily flights heading to a single destination, folding passengers onto fewer planes. That’s expected to reduce the number of so-called ghost flights—empty or nearly empty planes flown mostly to hold onto takeoff and landing slots.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander insisted there were “no immediate supply issues,” though she added the government was pushing airlines to make schedule changes sooner rather than later if required. Civil Aviation Authority chief executive Rob Bishton urged carriers to alert passengers “as much notice as possible” should flights be cut. Gov
But schedule flexibility can only do so much; it won’t generate fuel. Goldman Sachs flagged the UK as Europe’s “most exposed” market for a jet-fuel squeeze, pointing to sparse reserves, high import dependence, and limited refining. The bank also noted Britain has “no strategic reserves”—just commercial inventories standing in as the safety net. The Independent
Ministers are pushing to boost supply. According to Alexander, extra jet fuel is now coming in from the US and west Africa, and UK refineries have been told to ramp up production. Over at Kpler, Matt Stanley said the Dangote refinery in Nigeria is running aviation fuel output flat out after sorting internal issues.
Travelers will probably feel the effects first on high-frequency routes, as airlines look to consolidate flights with minimal disruption to their schedules. But consumer advocates aren’t reassured. “Passengers need ‘cast-iron assurances’ that rule changes will not shift disruption costs onto travellers,” warned Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel. euronews
UK airlines haven’t hit any fuel-supply snags and flights are running as usual, according to Tim Alderslade, chief of Airlines UK. He backed slot relief, calling it a practical step to cut needless flights. Passengers still have rights: if a flight’s canceled, the government says travelers can claim a refund or choose another route.
The strain isn’t just in Britain. IAG, which owns British Airways, has flagged plans to hike ticket prices as fuel costs climb. Over at Air France, executives highlighted a steep jump in their fuel expenses. On the other hand, Wizz Air reported that its operations are still running smoothly, with no impact so far.
The European Commission is drafting new guidelines for airlines on jet fuel, according to Anna-Kaisa Itkonen, the bloc’s climate action and energy spokeswoman. “Prepare for all eventualities,” she said—an indication that officials aren’t expecting the uncertainty to lift anytime soon. Instead, the outlook is for volatility to stick around well into summer. Cityam
