What Wizz Air changes

The transport secretary is poised to ‘level’ with the public over jet fuel shortages as Ryanair boss says carriers are already ‘desperate’ to slash routes. Wizz Air has emerged this Saturday as one of the stories drawing attention in United Kingdom.

Key facts

• The transport secretary is poised to ‘level’ with the public over jet fuel shortages as Ryanair boss says carriers are already ‘desperate’ to slash routes.
• “The price of kerosene has more than doubled due to the war in the Middle East and fuel accounts for up to 40 percent of the cost of an airline ticket,” he added.
• Budget airline Spirit Airlines is reportedly on the verge of collapse, after failing to secure crucial financial backing from the government.
• Low-cost airline Transavia this week announced its first flight cancellations in May and June, citing skyrocketing prices for kerosene, a widely used aviation fuel.
• It follows United’s CEO announcing that the airline may need to raise fares by as much as 20 per cent, while Lufthansa’s airline group cancelled 20,000 flights in bids to protect their airlines from the soaring cost of oil.

What we know

Going deeper, Budget airline Spirit Airlines is reportedly on the verge of collapse, after failing to secure crucial financial backing from the government.

On the substance, Low-cost airline Transavia this week announced its first flight cancellations in May and June, citing skyrocketing prices for kerosene, a widely used aviation fuel.

Beyond the headlines, it follows United’s CEO announcing that the airline may need to raise fares by as much as 20 per cent, while Lufthansa’s airline group cancelled 20,000 flights in bids to protect their airlines from the soaring cost of oil.

More precisely, the Malaysian airline's executives said the company had cut 10% of flights across the group, with a surcharge of about 20% on fuel in general.

It is worth noting that the airline group said it planned to increase long-haul ticket prices to address surging fuel costs, with cabin fares set to rise by 50 euros ($58) per round trip.

By the numbers

“The price of kerosene has more than doubled due to the war in the Middle East and fuel accounts for up to 40 percent of the cost of an airline ticket,” he added.

On a related note, the Dutch airline will not operate 80 return flights out of Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport over the next month.

Going deeper, the four flights to JFK International Airport will be cut from 1 June to 25 October 2026.

On the substance, Nigerian airlines temporarily suspended a planned nationwide shutdown of flight operations, which was set to begin on April 20, after the government intervened amid crippling fuel prices.

What they're saying

“We have to distinguish between availability and price,” said Bros. “Just because there isn’t a shortage doesn’t mean that prices for airplane travel won’t shoot up.”

“Airlines cancel flights for economic reasons,” Bregeon agreed. “They are flights that are not profitable due to increased fuel costs.”

“France produces much less kerosene than it consumes,” said Wouter Dewulf, a professor in the Department of Transport and Regional Economics at the University of Antwerp and AMS. “About 3 million tonnes are produced by French factories each year, while the country consumes 5 million.

The wider context

On a related note, the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), an industry body representing a dozen primarily domestic carriers, had warned they would halt services from April 20, citing that surging jet fuel costs had rendered operations unsustainable.

Going deeper, the airline said on 7 April it would slash flights through May and June and hike fares, having been one of the first to announce broad increases to ticket prices when the conflict broke out.

On the substance, the Canadian airline said it would reduce planned capacity by 6% from May until October this year, with cuts expected on routes to Europe and the Caribbean and its service to Cuba remaining suspended until October.

Beyond the headlines, India's Akasa Air said it was introducing a fuel surcharge ranging between 199 and 1,300 Indian rupees ($2 to $14) on domestic and international flights.

More precisely, the U.S. airline said it would increase fees for the first checked bag by $5 and by $10 for the second on its North American flights, as well as for its Hawaiian Airlines unit.

The bottom line

• It follows United’s CEO announcing that the airline may need to raise fares by as much as 20 per cent, while Lufthansa’s airline group cancelled 20,000 flights in bids to protect their airlines from the soaring cost of oil.
• The Malaysian airline's executives said the company had cut 10% of flights across the group, with a surcharge of about 20% on fuel in general.
• The airline group said it planned to increase long-haul ticket prices to address surging fuel costs, with cabin fares set to rise by 50 euros ($58) per round trip.