All the airlines not adding surcharges to flights amid fuel shortage

Three major airlines have issued statements

On Friday (April 24), the government announced that passengers across the UK were being advised amid growing fears over jet fuel shortages, which could lead to potential flight cancellations.

Since then, anxiety has reached an all-time high among travellers with upcoming flights or plans to travel abroad in the near future. Concerns have grown that passengers could face significant additional charges from airlines, as carriers seek to offset rising fuel costs linked to the Iran crisis.

However, TUI, easyJet, and Jet2 have since issued statements confirming that they will not introduce any such charges.

Managing Director at TUI UKandI, Neil Swanson, said: "We understand that customers want both confidence and clarity when booking a holiday. Our teams are here to support people who are thinking about booking, and those who have already booked with TUI can be reassured that their holiday price is fixed, with no fuel surcharges added."

easyJet has since also put out a fresh statement pledging that both the airline and its tour operator arm will not be adding surcharges to any pre-booked flights and package holidays, or future bookings. The company went on to say that holidaymakers can book with complete confidence thanks to its Best Price Guarantee and Ultimate Flexibility policy: "easyJet and easyJet holidays have confirmed that it will not introduce surcharges on its flights or package holidays, giving customers complete peace of mind when booking.

"No surcharges will apply to any pre-booked easyJet holiday packages or to any new bookings for summer 2026.easyJet currently sees no disruption to its jet fuel supply and all flights and package holidays continue to operate normally."

Garry Wilson, CEO of easyJet holidays, said: "We know that holidaymakers may have questions about what recent global events might mean for their travel plans this summer, so we are giving our customers absolute peace of mind that no surcharges will be added to their flights or package holidays.

"Our operations remain unaffected, so customers can be confident that not only will their holiday go ahead as planned, but there will be no surprise extra payments, and they can enjoy their brilliant holidays at unbeatable prices."

Jet2 has also confirmed it will not be adding surcharges to any pre-booked flights or holidays to cover rising costs related to jet fuel.

In an attempt to ease rising concern, the Department for Transport issued direct guidance on Friday to passengers with bookings on airlines including Jet2, Ryanair, Wizz, easyJet and British Airways.

Jet2 has scrapped all surcharge provisions across its flights and holidays, despite never having previously imposed such fees. The policy is understood to apply to all bookings made through any channel, including online, the mobile app, contact centres, and independent travel agents. However, it does not cover tourist taxes, which are payable at the resort during the stay and are generally settled directly with the accommodation provider.

Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2, said: "Holidaymakers should have every right to book their hard-earned break in the sun, without worrying about being hit with additional costs, and they can have that complete assurance when they book a flight or holiday with Jet2.

"As a result of today's announcement, customers booking with Jet2 know that they are locking in their price without additional cost surprises later, and we strongly believe that is the right thing to do for them. Ahead of a busy summer, this is yet more evidence of why, on top of our incredible holidays and award-winning customer service, nothing beats a Jet2holiday."

Dan Jorgensen, the EU energy commissioner, last week said: "Unfortunately, it's very likely that many people's holidays will be affected, either by flight cancellations or very, very expensive tickets.

"Even if we do everything we can do, if the jet fuel is not there, then it's not there.

Jorgensen added: "[Currently] it is primarily a crisis of prices and not yet a crisis of supply, but unfortunately, we cannot be sure to prevent a crisis of supply, especially on jet fuel in the future, if the crisis continues."

In response, the Department for Transport said on Friday: "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.

"If your flight is cancelled, you have clear legal rights, including the right to a full refund or re-routing. Read this factsheet for the full picture on the current situation and what it means for you."

Meanwhile, IAG – the parent company of British Airways, Aer Lingus and Spain's Iberia – has referred to "pricing adjustments to reflect these higher fuel costs".

A spokesperson said: "We are not seeing jet fuel supply interruptions, but fuel prices have risen sharply and, despite our hedging strategy, which gives some shorter-term mitigation, we are not immune to the impact."

When asked if there's a shortage of jet fuel in the UK, DtT said: "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."