Airlines will have to pass on higher fuel costs to passengers but fears of flight cancellations are overplayed, according to Aer Lingus chief executive, Lynne Embleton.
The Irish carrier says it has enough fuel for the summer but is reviewing its costs after losses almost doubled to €103 million in the first three months of this year, partly driven by higher oil prices.
“We as an industry are going to have to pass on fuel costs,” Embleton said after Aer Lingus published financial results for the three months to the end of March. The impact on customers would depend on individual markets, she added.
Aer Lingus’ parent, International Airlines’ Group (IAG), said last month that it could have to make “some pricing adjustments”.
READ MORE
Jet fuel prices have more than doubled since the US-Israel-Iran war erupted at the end of February, shutting the Strait of Hormuz shipping lane and squeezing oil supplies.
Airlines cancelled flights as fuel prices rose, prompting fears about summer travel, but Embleton maintained that passengers could confidently book with Aer Lingus.
“The talk in some quarters of supply shortages causing summer chaos is completely overplayed,” she said.
Aer Lingus dropped 2 per cent of flights, affecting 23,000 passengers, at the start of the summer. Those changes stemmed from maintenance delays and other issues. The airline says the vast majority of passengers were reaccommodated.
The airline’s chief executive said she expected no further cancellations.
Embleton said the cost review would be across the board and would include suppliers, who account for a large proportion of its outgoings. Aer Lingus will “engage” with staff unions.
Along with fuel, the company blamed increased carbon costs, rising transatlantic competition and one-off charges relating to the closure of its Manchester base for its quarterly loss, which was almost twice the €55 million shortfall it reported for the same period in 2025.
The first quarter of the year is typically Aer Lingus’s weakest.
The airline actually grew passenger numbers by 1.1 per cent over the three months and launched new services including Dublin to Cancún in Mexico and Turin in Italy, and Cork to Geneva and Prague.
The airline took delivery of its sixth Airbus A321 XLR jet in January. These aircraft cut the cost of long-distance flying.
IAG is actively managing the uncertainty created by the Middle East conflict and fuel price increases, according to its chief executive, Luis Gallego.
“We currently see no issues with fuel availability in our main markets, particularly as we benefit from our investment in fuel self-supply at our hubs,” he said
IAG, which also owns British Airways and Spain’s Iberia, has bought 70 per cent of its fuel needs for this year in advance. This practice, known as hedging, has protected the business from recent surges in fuel prices.
However, the group warned on Friday that the crisis could restrict jet fuel supplies.
“We are engaging with governments in each of our home markets as well as with the EU to ensure that the industry is getting the support it needs to navigate this situation,” IAG added.
That includes Aer Lingus, which confirmed later on Friday that it had discussed the fuel situation with the Irish Government.
“We will continue to engage with Government and industry partners,” said the carrier, reiterating that was confident of summer fuel supplies.
European airlines get around 20 per cent of their jet fuel via the Strait of Hormuz. Oil prices increased 1 per cent to $101 a-barrel in response early on Friday as the US and Iran clashed.
IAG’s profit after tax rose 71 per cent to €301 million from €176 million.
