Thousands of passengers due to travel in the coming weeks could face disruption as Aer Lingus has reportedly cut more than 500 flights from its schedule.
These changes are set to affect travellers across Ireland, with Dublin, Shannon and Cork airports seeing a high number of cancellations, reports The Mirror.
Flights from Dublin to major European destinations such as Berlin, Zurich, Athens, Faro and Amsterdam are expected to be removed from the timetable on various dates over the coming weeks.
Popular routes to London Heathrow, Manchester, Newcastle, Birmingham and Edinburgh are also set to be cancelled, meaning passengers will need to be moved onto alternative flights, reports The Mirror.
Transatlantic services to and from Seattle, San Francisco, Minneapolis-St Paul and Toronto are also expected to face disruption.
After reviewing internal documents, the Sunday Independent reports that the cancellations are due to ‘mandatory maintenance’ on certain aircraft, reports The Mirror.
An Aer Lingus spokesperson told RSVP Live: “Aer Lingus has commenced operating its planned summer schedule. A number of recent cancellations have been required due to mandatory maintenance on aircraft, along with a limited number of schedule adjustments. Where schedule adjustments are being made, the vast majority of customers are being reaccommodated on same day services.”
This comes amid growing concerns about jet fuel supplies in Europe, as outlined in an Associated Press interview with IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol, reports The Mirror.
He described the situation as “the largest energy crisis we have ever faced,” caused by disruptions to oil, gas and other key supplies through the Strait of Hormuz.
“In the past there was a group called ‘Dire Straits.’ It’s a dire strait now, and it is going to have major implications for the global economy. And the longer it goes, the worse it will be for the economic growth and inflation around the world,” he stated, reports The Mirror.
The impact will lead to “higher petrol (gasoline) prices, higher gas prices, high electricity prices,” Birol told AP, adding that some parts of the world will be “hit worse than the others…
If the Strait of Hormuz isn’t reopened, he said that for Europe, “, reports The Mirror.
Should the Strait of Hormuz remain closed, he warned that for Europe, “I can tell you soon we will hear the news that some of the flights from city A to city B might be canceled as a result of lack of jet fuel.”
Earlier this month, Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary warned that flights could be cancelled this summer due to rising jet fuel costs, reports The Mirror.
Speaking to ITV News, he said: “We’re all facing an unknown scenario. And we are certainly looking at maybe having to cancel 5%, 10% of flights through May, June and July.” For passengers impacted by cancellations, O’Leary said they should ‘blame Trump’ rather than the airline, reports The Mirror.
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