EasyJet CEO Reassures Passengers Over Summer Fuel Supply

EasyJet’s chief executive moved to calm traveller anxieties on Thursday after BBC Business reported that CEO Kenton Jarvis sees no disruption to the airline’s fuel supply ahead of the peak summer season.

EasyJet Sees No Jet Fuel Shortage Across Its Network

Jarvis told the BBC’s Today programme that none of EasyJet’s airports across the UK or Europe had flagged any supply concerns. He said the airline remained in close contact with fuel suppliers, airport operators and government officials. All parties had confirmed no issues looking ahead, he added. Jarvis also ruled out adding fuel surcharges to passenger fares, saying EasyJet intended to operate its full published summer schedule.

His reassurances came despite a dramatic tightening in global jet fuel markets. The ongoing Iran war has effectively blockaded the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for Europe’s fuel imports. That disruption has driven jet fuel prices close to double recent norms. Jarvis pointed to rising output from Norway, West Africa and the Americas as a partial offset, arguing refining capacity outside the Gulf had grown substantially.

Background: A Market Rattled by Middle East Conflict

The Strait of Hormuz has long been a chokepoint for global energy flows. A meaningful share of Europe’s jet fuel traditionally transits the waterway before reaching refineries and distribution networks. The current conflict has forced carriers and fuel buyers to seek alternative supply routes and sources, pushing up costs across the aviation sector.

Separately, the BBC reported this week that UK plans to ban diesel and jet fuel refined from Russian crude in third countries had been quietly scaled back. Officials cited concerns over price inflation and potential supply gaps as reasons for easing those proposed restrictions.

Later Bookings Signal Cautious Consumers

Despite Jarvis’s confidence on supply, EasyJet acknowledged a shift in how customers are buying tickets. Passengers are booking closer to their departure dates rather than planning holidays months in advance. Demand for same-month travel remained strong, Jarvis said, but bookings for further-out travel had softened as consumers waited for more clarity on the geopolitical situation.

EasyJet posted a pre-tax loss of £552 million for the six months to March, broadly in line with typical winter-season patterns for European carriers. Equity analyst Aarin Chiekrie at Hargreaves Lansdown warned that EasyJet ranked among the most fuel-sensitive European airlines, and that elevated prices would weigh on second-half profitability even if the Middle East conflict resolved quickly.

Read Next: UK Waters Down New Russian Oil Sanctions as Fuel Prices Rise