On Tuesday thirty first March, the Financial Times reported that “the last known shipment of jet fuel to the UK from the Middle East is expected to arrive this week, pointing to the fast-approaching impact of the Iran war on airlines and travellers”. As the airways proceed to grapple with airspace restrictions and airport closures, the fuel scarcity provides yet one more issue with ramifications on the trade, and thus for travellers, too.
The battle has resulted within the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a passage by means of which usually round 20 per cent of the world’s oil and pure gasoline flows. On 19 March 2026, the UK authorities launched a press release, “We condemn in the strongest terms recent attacks by Iran on unarmed commercial vessels in the Gulf, attacks on civilian infrastructure, including oil and gas installations, and the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iranian forces. We express our deep concern about the escalating conflict. We call on Iran to cease immediately its threats, laying of mines, drone and missile attacks and other attempts to block the Strait to commercial shipping and to comply with UN Security Council Resolution 2817.”
The results of the Strait closure has been a drastic spike in fuel prices – Reuters claims that “jet fuel prices have spiked, pushing up operating costs, with European prices doubling and Asian prices up almost 80% since US and Israeli strikes on Iran began in late February.”
Airlines and insurance coverage corporations are grappling to deal with the ever-changing scenario. City AM reviews that airways to affirm flight cancellations due to fuel prices embrace “Air New Zealand, which cut 1,100 flights through to early May, and Scandinavian group SAS, which is cancelling 1,000 next month. Both have said these will mainly affect domestic routes.” United Airlines adopted go well with, changing into the primary main US airline to accomplish that due to fuel prices.
But, The Independent claims that the airways cancelling flights due to fuel prices are people who weren’t beforehand locked into low fuel costs. “All the big airlines operating from the UK – British Airways, easyJet, Jet2, Ryanair and Virgin Atlantic – have locked into lower fuel prices. None of the airlines intends to surcharge existing passengers.”
However, this case could change rapidly as and when contracts renew. The Express reviews that “Kenton Jarvis, easyJet CEO, warned travellers that fuel volatility would push prices higher. He said: ‘One thing we have seen is that fuel has been very volatile over the last few weeks since this terrible war started. I expect that if fuel remains at this level, prices will rise. Fuel prices will have to go up, in which case, I just recommend booking as early as possible.’”
For the time being, the recommendation stays to verify airline steerage recurrently, prioritise journey insurance coverage when reserving holidays, and guide far prematurely to defend your self and your pockets.