"You normally expect to see a 25% increase in flights and fuel requirements in the months of July and August versus, let's say March."I think the concern will be that if sufficient alternative supply isn't sourced, there may be some shortages when we get into the peak summer period."However, he stressed that there was no reason to panic, and that widespread cancellation of flights could be avoided. Some significant ticket price hikes The increase in fuel prices has already been reflected in the cost of long-haul flights, some of which have seen significant increases.But according to airline bosses, some fares in Europe have actually come down because carriers have been introducing discounts in an effort to persuade reluctant travellers to fly.However, Walsh insisted this situation would not last."There's just no way airlines can absorb the additional costs they're experiencing," he explained."There may be some instances where airlines will discount to stimulate some traffic flow… but over time it's inevitable that the high price of oil will be reflected in higher ticket prices."He added that the disruption to crude oil supplies and damage to refining facilities in the Gulf meant that even if the Strait of Hormuz were to reopen now, fuel prices were unlikely to come down quickly."Whichever way you look at it, I think this issue will continue for a number of months to come, and may indeed continue into next year," he said.A government spokesperson added that fuel suppliers keep "stocks of bunkered fuel to support their resilience", and that the government was working with the aviation industry to keep flights operating, as well as consulting on "measures to help airlines plan realistic flight schedules which will avoid last-minute disruption and protect holidays".Get our flagship newsletter with all the headlines you need to start the day. Sign up here.Tui sees summer sales fall 10% due to cautious UK customersUS jet fuel could be used in Europe to ease possible shortagesAir travelIran warFuel
Extract — continue reading at the source.
