Airlines will be forced to cancel some flights landing in the UK due to jet fuel shortages caused by the war in Iran, the government has acknowledged.
While British airlines are not currently experiencing a shortfall in fuel supplies, authorities in Europe have warned that planes could be grounded on the Continent because of the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.
In a new briefing document, the Department for Transport advises Britons to continue with their summer holiday plans because UK airlines buy their jet fuel in advance and can rely on stockpiles.
But the guidance also reveals the government is relaxing the rules over the allocation of time slots for planes taking off or landing at UK airports in case some international airlines cannot use them due to jet fuel shortages.
‘Use it or lose it’ rules to be relaxed
The DfT document says: “At some UK airports, airlines are given scheduled times known as ‘slots’ in which to take off or land.
“Under normal rules, airlines must use at least 80 per cent of their allocated slots during a season to keep them for the following year. If they fall below this threshold, those slots can be reassigned to another airline. This is known as the ‘use it or lose it’ rule.
“Airport Coordination Limited, the independent body that manages slot allocation at UK airports, has updated its guidance so that airlines will not lose their slots if fuel shortages prevent them from flying.
“Airlines can now apply for an exemption from the ‘use it or lose it’ rule in these circumstances.
“This means airlines can focus on minimising disruption for passengers, rather than feeling pressure to operate flights purely to protect their slots.”
Earlier this month the Airports Council International said if tankers cannot pass through the strait “systemic jet fuel shortage is set to become a reality for the EU”, while the executive director of the International Energy Agency, Faith Birol, warned that Europe had “maybe six weeks or so of jet fuel left”.
The UK government guidance adds: “There is no current need for passengers to change their travel plans. UK airlines buy jet fuel in advance, and airports maintain stocks to support their resilience.
“The government is working closely with the aviation industry to monitor risks and minimise disruption to passengers.”
Passengers’ legal rights
Passengers have clear legal rights, including the right to a full refund or re-routing, if their flight is cancelled.
The document says: “UK airlines are clear that they are not currently seeing a shortage of jet fuel. It is typically bought in advance, with airports and their suppliers keeping stocks of bunkered fuel to support their resilience”
UK ministers and officials are meeting regularly with the airline and travel industry to “monitor risks, understand pressures and ensure clear communication with passengers, should circumstances change”.
The document says: “We recognise that families may be concerned, and that aviation and tourism businesses are operating in challenging global conditions. We are working hand‑in‑hand with industry to help flights keep operating.”
Passengers should continue to check with their airlines before they travel, consult Foreign Office travel advice for latest updates and ensure they have appropriate travel insurance.
Under UK law, if a flight is cancelled, passengers are entitled to either a full refund or to be booked onto an alternative flight if they depart from an airport in the UK on any airline, arrive at an airport in the UK on an EU or UK airline or arrive at an airport in the EU on a UK airline.
Since the closure of the Strait of Hormuz at the start of March due to the war in Iran, the government has been closely monitoring UK jet fuel stocks and working with airlines, airports and fuel suppliers to ensure passengers keep moving and businesses are supported.
Ministers and officials are continuing to plan for “a range of contingencies, while focusing on securing a long lasting and workable solution to get shipping flowing freely again through the Strait of Hormuz”, the DfT update says.
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