The government announced on Friday new plans to 'protect summer holidays from disruption' amid the Iran War that has led to a Fuel Crisis that has already made a budget airline in the US cease operations.
These new plans are just a plan as the government claims that the UK is not in a fuel crisis.
What are the New Plans?
According to the government, 'these temporary measures would allow airlines to, for example, consolidate schedules on routes where there are multiple flights to the same destination on the same day.'
Instead of cancelling flights at the last minute, the new measures would 'help move passengers onto similar services much earlier, helping avoid stressful delays at the airport, prevent running flights which have not sold a significant proportion of tickets, and reduce wasted fuel from flying near-empty planes,' according to a Press Release announcing the new plans.
'If a flight is subject to a significant delay – at least 2 hours for short-haul, 3 hours for medium-haul and 4 hours for long-haul - passengers are entitled to care and assistance, including food, drink and overnight accommodation where necessary,' the press release continued.
The measures being considered will allow airlines to proactively hand back a limited proportion of their allocated take-off and landing slots without losing the right to operate them the following season. 'Hand backs' help airlines build realistic schedules and avoid last-minute cancellations rather than flying empty 'ghost flights' or cancelling at short notice, putting passengers' plans at risk.
What do the People in Power Think of the New Measures?
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander reacted to the new measures:
'Since the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the government has been monitoring jet fuel supplies daily and working with airlines, airports and fuel suppliers to stay ahead of any problems, ' she said.
'There are no immediate supply issues, but we're preparing now to give families long-term certainty and avoid unnecessary disruption at the departure gate this summer,' she continued.
'This legislation will give airlines the tools to adjust flights in good time if they need to, which helps protect passengers and businesses. We will do everything we can to insulate our country from the impact of the situation in the Middle East.'
'As part of today's action, the government is upping awareness of the existing rights available to passengers in the event of disruption. If your flight is cancelled by the airline, you have a legal right to a choice between being re-routed or a refund,' the press release announced.
How are European Airlines Coping with the Fuel Crisis?
European airlines are preparing for a stressful summer ahead.
Stefan Kreuzpaintner, a senior vice-president at Lufthansa, said: 'When we talk about fuel, there's basically two things. One is that the price increases, which makes the cost base for airlines more challenging. How much you're affected depends on whether you've hedged your fuel price into the future. The other part is fuel supply, because you refuel in your destination,' according to the Guardian.
IAG, which owns British Airways, announced that they were 'making some pricing adjustments.' EasyJet launched a 'book with confidence' policy, which means that there are no price increases after you book.
In a statement IAG said: 'Although we have a strong hedging strategy, we're not immune to some of the impacts of these price increases.'
