Three airlines and tour operators have issued major statements in the past 48 hours for travellers who have already booked holidays — as well as those still contemplating doing so in 2026. On Friday, the government released a statement to passengers across the UK amid growing fears over jet fuel shortages and potential flight cancellations.

Anxiety has been mounting that those with flights already booked — or considering travelling abroad — could face significant additional charges imposed by carriers to cover rising fuel costs triggered by the Iran crisis. Now TUI, easyJet and Jet2 have all provided updates, confirming they will not introduce any such surcharge.

Neil Swanson, Managing Director at TUI UK&I, 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 published a fresh statement pledging that both the airline and its tour operator arm will not impose surcharges on any pre-booked flights and package holidays, or future reservations. The company assured travellers they can book package holidays with complete confidence thanks to its Best Price Guarantee and Ultimate Flexibility policy: "easyJet and easyJet holidays has 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 confirmed it will not levy surcharges on any existing flight or holiday bookings to cover increased expenses, including those related to aviation fuel. In an effort to address growing anxieties, the Department for Transport on Friday released explicit guidance to travellers with reservations through airlines including Jet2, Ryanair, Wizz, easyJet and British Airways. Jet2 has abolished the surcharge provision across all flights and holidays, despite the carrier never having previously imposed them. The policy encompasses all flights and holidays booked through any channel, whether online, via the mobile app, contact centre or independent travel agent. It excludes tourist taxes, which are payable at the resort during the holiday and are 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 by 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 announced 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."

Nevertheless, IAG — the parent company of British Airways, Aer Lingus and Spain's Iberia — has spoken of "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."

Is there a shortage of jet fuel in the UK? DfT 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."

Officials explained: "There is no current need to change upcoming travel plans. Government regularly meets with industry to monitor risks, understand pressures and ensure clear communication with passengers, should circumstances change.

"We recognise that families may be concerned, and that aviation and tourism businesses are operating in challenging global conditions. We are working hand‐in‐hand with industry to help flights keep operating.

"We advise passengers to continue checking with their airlines before they travel, and to check the FCDO travel advice for the latest updates. You should also ensure you have appropriate travel insurance."