EasyJet has issued a dire three-week jet fuel shortage countdown – putting tourists on notice for travel chaos.
One of the airline’s regional chiefs has suggested it could be rocked by operational difficulties within just three weeks as the fallout from the Iran war threatens to spark mayhem for British travellers.
Javier Gandara – EasyJet’s country director for southern Europe – admitted to the Majorca Daily Bulletin that it is “difficult” to forecast the severity of the jet fuel crisis beyond “three or four weeks”.
The senior executive issued the warning on Monday, effetively starting a countdown to May for travel planning chaos.
Mr Gandara added: “Everything [will be] affected because, ultimately, we are talking about a global market.
“No one will be immune to potential supply problems.
“All consumers will experience a significant impact on their income due to the increase in mortgage and rental prices, food, gasoline, and so on.
“What will be the net effect of both? It’s difficult to predict.”
A senior EasyJet executive admitted that it is ‘difficult’ to forecast the severity of the jet fuel crisis
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GETTYDespite the uncertainty, easyJet CEO Kenton Jarvis urged tourists to book flights “as early as possible” to get ahead of future price hikes if the cost of jet fuel continues to skyrocket.
The issue of jet fuel availability for the summer season is believed to be causing mounting concerns within the aviation industry.
European airlines such as KLM and Lufthansa have already axed hundreds of flights amid fuel shortage fears.
Early this month, International Energy Agency (IEA) executive director Fatih Birol sounded the alarm, warning that airports across Europe only had “maybe six weeks or so (of) jet fuel left”.
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Despite the uncertainty, EasyJet CEO Kenton Jarvis urged tourists to book flights ‘as early as possible’
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He branded the current global repercussions of the Iran conflict “the largest energy crisis we have ever faced”.
Speaking about the impact on European travel, he warned: “I can tell you soon we will hear the news that some of the flights from city A to city B might be cancelled as a result of lack of jet fuel.”
But one travel expert offered a more optimistic prediction for future travel plans, insisting that holidaymakers should not panic.
Rob Brooks, an insider for travel firm On The Beach, posted a video on social media where he said that airlines’ “fuel hedging” – where they already locked in fuel prices months or years in advance – means that they are “protected” for the summer season.
The IEA director warned that airports across Europe only had ‘maybe six weeks or so (of) jet fuel left’
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He said: “Airlines like Ryanair and EasyJet are well-known for hedging a big chunk of their fuel early, so they’re not suddenly scrambling or cancelling loads of flights overnight.
“The airlines that are most affected are the ones that chose not to hedge their fuel.”
Mr Brooks noted that despite the widespread concern, only one per cent of flights have actually been cancelled – numbers usually seen for reasons not tied to shortages of fuel.
He added: “Even if you are in that small percentage of people affected, and your flight does get cancelled, that doesn’t automatically mean that your holiday is just gone.
“Holiday companies will always try to find you an alternative flight first. Same destination, same hotel, just a different flight.”