NEWS


FLOWER POWER: Holland America Line hosted UK trade partners at a tulip naming ceremony in the Netherlands to mark the company’s 153rd anniversary. The cruise line held the event at Keukenhof Gardens where the tulip, called Savour the Journey, was named by Olympic speedskater Joy Beune (inset). The flower was grown for Holland America Line with bold orange petals and a yellow centre to reflect the line’s Dutch heritage. Karen Farndell (third left), associate vice-president of sales and marketing for the UK and Ireland, and business development manager Gemma Withers (right), hosted agents from Bolsover Cruise Club, Touchdown Travel, Iglu, Fred Olsen Travel, Gold Medal, Canadian Affair and CruiseKings.


Customers seek trade’s assurance over fears of disruption to flights


Ian Taylor


Agents and operators are increasingly having to reassure customers concerned about potential disruption to flights due to a possible shortage of jet fuel. Fears a shortage could lead to


flight cancellations without a resumption of oil and jet fuel supplies from the Gulf appeared to be confirmed by an Airlines UK letter to the government on Tuesday, warning carriers would need to cut flights and raise fares if the disruption continues. The airline leaders’ letter urged


well prepared should issues arise with the supply of jet fuel.” The International Energy


Agency (IEA) warned last week that Europe had “maybe six weeks” of jet fuel available. Iata UK and Ireland area manager


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Lara Maughan repeated Iata chief Willie Walsh’s description of the IEA assessment as “sobering” when she addressed an Abta Aviation Forum in London on Tuesday. However, she said: “The shortages at the moment are in Asia. We’re not seeing issues in the


UK and Europe at the minute.” The EU was nonetheless poised


ministers to allow the temporary import of alternative jet fuel supplies, to ensure jet fuel production by refineries and to update the National Emergency Plan for Fuel. A spokesperson for Airports UK


said: “It is essential the government has robust plans to ensure we’re


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to issue details of plans to address shortages this week after energy commissioner Dan Jorgensen warned Europe was moving “very rapidly” towards a jet fuel supply crisis. Jorgensen said: “We’re moving


from a crisis that has so far been primarily of too high prices towards a


crisis of supply, primarily on jet fuels.” He said the EC would increase its


monitoring of fuel stocks and refining, and potentially redistribute fuel, arguing: “We need to be honest and say the situation will become quite serious.” Airlines continue to insist in


public that they have access to fuel for now. EasyJet chief executive Kenton Jarvis noted last week: “We only ever in this industry have three to four weeks’ visibility [of supply].” Maughan said: “Forward visibility


on the availability of jet fuel is not what we might have thought.” The Dutch government reported


its supply of jet fuel was at 78% of normal levels on Monday – although the Netherlands should be among the best-stocked states in Europe as several of the continent’s largest refineries are in Rotterdam. A spokesperson for airports


association ACI Europe – which warned the EC of the risk of jet fuel shortages before Easter – told Travel


Weekly: “We don’t have access to real-time, system-wide data across Europe, [and] we don’t have visibility on where potential shortages may materialise first. This is why we called on the EC to establish comprehensive monitoring and mapping of jet fuel availability.” Shona Thorne, director of


Ayrshire-based Thorne Travel, reported customers raising concerns about jet fuel “every other hour” and said: “We’ve issued a statement setting out the facts.” Advantage Travel Partnership also


issued advice for members to pass on to clients, saying: “While reports around jet fuel supply are causing concern, there is no reason to panic.” Tui UK advised customers


raising concerns on social media: “At present, we’re not anticipating any immediate disruption to our flight schedules or holiday programmes


from fuel shortages.” i Analysis, back page


23 APRIL 2026 5


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