TUI has moved to reassure customers ahead of the May half-term, following reports of global flight cancellations due to fuel shortages. Neil Swanson, managing director of TUI UK and Ireland, stated that the company has good visibility on fuel supplies and is operating its holiday programme as planned, with no flights cancelled because of fuel issues. He emphasised that TUI is not adding fuel surcharges, and all package holidays are ABTA and ATOL protected.
The UK government has also intervened to clarify the situation, noting that airlines are not currently experiencing a jet fuel shortage. It advised passengers that there is no need to change travel plans, as airlines buy fuel in advance and airports maintain stocks. In the event of a cancellation, passengers have legal rights to a full refund or re-routing.
Travel analyst Paul Charles of The PC Agency warned that if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, airlines may have to cut up to 10 per cent of flights due to squeezed jet fuel supplies. He suggested that pre-emptive cancellations are less inconvenient for passengers than last-minute changes.
Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, advised holidaymakers to book package holidays as the best protection against disruption, noting that the proportion of cancelled flights from the UK remains small compared to normal operational cancellations.
