Jet2 said on Wednesday, 20 May, that its summer holidays will go ahead as normal after receiving positive updates from its fuel suppliers and reassuring customers that it has enough fuel. The UK’s third-largest airline said booked flights and holidays will not face surcharges to cover higher costs, including jet fuel.
The company said the price customers book is the price they will pay. It also pledged swift refunds and flexibility if any flight or holiday is cancelled, seeking to head off worries that fuel market pressure could reach holidaymakers just as the peak travel season gets under way.
The reassurance comes as some carriers have already begun passing on higher fuel costs or cutting summer capacity. Lufthansa has cancelled at least 20,000 departures for the summer, Air France-KLM planned to increase long-haul ticket prices by 50 euros per round trip, and SunExpress said it would impose a temporary fuel surcharge of 10 euros per passenger from 1 May on routes between Turkey and Europe.
Jet2 said its fuel suppliers reported increased production and additional imports from areas unaffected by the Middle East conflict. Chief executive Steve Heapy said the airline is in regular dialogue with suppliers and that the current picture is one of rising output and imports, allowing the company to look ahead with confidence.
Heapy said Jet2 plans to operate its schedule as normal this summer and told customers that “summer is on.” He added that the airline is ready for a busy season and expects many travellers to take advantage of the value on offer now.
The message also sets Jet2 apart from other travel groups that have already warned passengers to brace for higher costs. EasyJet Holidays, Tui and Ryanair have told customers that booked holidays and flights will not be subject to fuel surcharges, but Jet2 went further by saying it would not add any such charge at all and that its summer programme remains intact.
For holidaymakers, the immediate question had been whether a tightening fuel market would force airlines to trim routes or add fees before the summer rush. Jet2’s answer, for now, is no: the airline says it has the fuel it needs, it will not levy extra charges on existing bookings, and it intends to fly the summer timetable as planned.
