According to the company, passengers are increasingly delaying travel decisions, with many now booking much closer to their intended departure dates rather than planning well in advance. This shift in behaviour has become more pronounced since the escalation of conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, which has contributed to wider concerns across the aviation sector.
Despite these pressures, easyJet said there has been no disruption to its fuel supply chain. The airline stressed that it maintains “usual visibility of supplies over a rolling four-week period,” and reassured customers that it does not expect further flight cancellations this summer.
Kenton Jarvis, chief executive of easyJet, said the airline continues to source fuel from a diverse range of regions, helping it manage volatility in global energy markets.
“Fuel supplies are diversifying, we are seeing more production in the Americas and Norway,” he said, pointing to growing resilience in supply routes despite geopolitical instability.
However, the company confirmed it had incurred an unexpected additional £25 million in jet fuel costs in March following the onset of the conflict. It also noted that while demand remains strong closer to departure dates, overall summer bookings are still behind where they stood at the same point last year.
“We continue to see positive late bookings since the conflict began; however, overall bookings for the summer period are behind where they were at this point last year,” the airline stated.
EasyJet also highlighted its fuel risk management strategy, revealing that it has hedged 72% of its fuel requirements for the next six months, covering the peak summer season through September. At the same time, it has temporarily paused short-term hedging due to “elevated near-term fuel prices.”
The airline previously adjusted its summer capacity in March, reducing seats by 0.3% following the outbreak of conflict. However, it now says it intends to restore and operate its full summer schedule as planned.
Jarvis said the company remains financially stable despite short-term uncertainty, noting its strong balance sheet and ability to adapt to volatile conditions.
“Despite conflict in the Middle East creating near-term uncertainty, easyJet is well placed to manage the current environment, supported by one of the strongest investment-grade balance sheets in European aviation,” he said.
He added firmly: “EasyJet is not seeing any disruption to fuel supply, we continue to operate normally and our customers should book with confidence.”
The airline also reported continued growth in its package holiday segment, with customer numbers rising by 22% in the six months to March compared with the previous year. However, it posted a pre-tax loss of £552 million for the half-year ending 31 March, widening from £394 million in the same period last year—an outcome it attributes to the seasonal nature of airline earnings, which are typically stronger in the summer months.
Beyond financial performance, Jarvis urged European authorities and airports to ease border processing delays during peak travel periods. He criticised long queues linked to the European Union’s entry-exit system, calling the situation “inexcusable,” and encouraged more flexible use of available procedures to speed up passenger processing.
He also advised travellers to arrive early at airports, especially during the busy holiday season, as the industry braces for a summer shaped by both strong demand and lingering geopolitical uncertainty.