UK airlines call for emergency jet fuel plan to avert summer chaos

Britain’s airlines have called on the Government to present an emergency jet fuel plan or risk a summer of holiday chaos.Airlines UK said ministers must prepare for fuel shortages now if disruption to flights is to be avoided. The association’s members include British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and easyJet.ACI Europe, which represents airports, has warned that some hubs may begin to run short of jet fuel by the middle of May, following the closure of vital supply lines during the Iran war.Airlines UK urged Britain to bolster fuel reserves by forcing refineries to produce more kerosene and temporarily allowing US-grade fuel, which can be used by some planes, to be imported.It called for Labour to cushion cost increases with measures including tax cuts and the suspension of stringent environmental regulations imposed on carriers.The group warned about the “immediate impact on the UK aviation sector and UK consumers in the event disruption to jet fuel supply continues or worsens”.Airlines UK’s demands, made in a paper sent to ministers and the Civil Aviation Authority, will be seen as an indication of the level of concern among airlines as they face dwindling fuel reserves. The Strait of Hormuz, which has been blockaded during the Middle East conflict, was a vital shipping route for 20pc of the world’s oil and gas volumes.The paper, seen by The Telegraph, warned that costs for airlines were already rising faster in the UK than on the Continent before the Gulf crisis. The industry group pointed to increases in the air passenger duty departure tax and the imposition of a tougher mandate for the use of expensive sustainable aviation fuel.It added: “Doubling of jet fuel costs – with fuel around one third of airline costs – represents a major, additional price shock.”UK must ‘take right actions now’Among other demands, Airlines UK called for an update of the “national emergency plan for fuel” to set out allocation plans for aviation fuel, not just petrol and diesel.It said airlines should also be exempted from passenger compensation rules governing flight cancellations – not only when fuel runs short but also if they modify timetables to reflect changes in demand.A spokesman for Airlines UK said: “It is vital that the Government takes the right actions now to ensure the continuation of supply, as well as support the UK aviation industry which has been impacted by record high jet fuel prices.“Additional flexibility, should it be needed, would enable airlines to operate most efficiently to minimise any disruption to customers and maintain long-established global networks.”BA’s owner, International Airlines Group, said its carriers were “not immune” to the jump in fuel costs even with a hedging strategy which provided near-term protection from price rises.A spokesman said: “If these pressures continue, flexibility from government would ensure airlines can continue to operate as efficiently as possible and manage sustained cost challenges while keeping people and trade moving.”Apostolos Tzitzikostas, the EU transport commissioner, said on Tuesday that guidance was being prepared for EU airlines on how to handle airport slots, passenger rights and public service obligations in the event of fuel shortages.The commission is due to present a broader package of energy and transport measures on Wednesday.Airlines UK said: “If the EU provides guidance on some of these critical areas, we need the UK to set out where they too sit as soon as possible.”