Travel expert Simon Calder has reassured Britons that summer travel chaos is unlikely, despite the cancellation of 13,000 flights worldwide in May alone. The journalist, 70, acknowledged the challenges posed by the Middle East crisis, which has driven up jet fuel costs and led to flight reductions by airlines such as KLM and Lufthansa.
However, Mr Calder urged families not to worry about their holiday plans. 'Keep calm and carry on booking,' he said. 'I’ve talked in the last 24 hours to top people in the travel industry and they’re really frustrated that there’s all this talk of cancellations, when the reality is that people will get their holiday as they expect.'
More than 100 flights from London Heathrow have been cut from the May schedule amid concerns over jet fuel supply. The government insists fuel levels are sufficient, but prices have risen due to the conflict. Mr Calder noted that the cuts represent only 1.5% of capacity, with Lufthansa cancelling a few routes like Glasgow to Frankfurt, diverting passengers to Edinburgh instead.
Oil prices have soared since US-Israel strikes on Iranian sites two months ago, with Iran retaliating by closing the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of global oil passes. A government spokesperson said: 'UK airlines are clear that they are not currently seeing a shortage of jet fuel. Aviation fuel is typically bought in advance and airports and suppliers keep stocks of bunkered fuel to support their resilience.'
