The UK government has unveiled new contingency plans allowing airlines to cancel flights weeks in advance without losing valuable takeoff and landing slots at busy airports, should fuel shortages disrupt operations this summer.
Under the proposed legislation, carriers can proactively adjust schedules—for instance, cutting one or two flights daily on routes with multiple services—to conserve jet fuel. This move aims to prevent last-minute cancellations that strand passengers.
Currently, airlines risk losing lucrative slots at airports like Heathrow and Gatwick if they fail to use them at least 80% of the time. The new guidelines from Airport Coordination Limited (ACL) clarify that fuel shortages will not jeopardize slot rights. Moreover, airlines can temporarily return unused slots while retaining the right to reclaim them next year.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander stated, “We’re preparing to give families long-term certainty and avoid unnecessary disruption at the departure gate this summer. This legislation will give airlines the tools to adjust flights in good time if they need to, which helps protect passengers and businesses.”
Tim Alderslade, chief executive of Airlines UK, welcomed the plan, saying it allows carriers to “avoid unnecessary flying and continue operating as efficiently as possible while protecting connectivity for passengers and trade.”
The UK imports about 65% of its jet fuel, much of it from the Middle East. However, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to the Iran conflict has disrupted supplies. The International Energy Agency warns that Europe could face shortages by June without additional imports.
The government is also exploring the use of a US-specification jet fuel (Jet A) as an alternative to the UK-standard Jet A1, though infrastructure and demand challenges remain.
Passengers affected by cancellations retain existing rights to refunds, rerouting, and compensation. However, airlines have pushed for fuel shortages to be classified as “extraordinary circumstances” to avoid payouts—a plea that has not yet been accepted in the UK. The European Commission has indicated that carriers may be exempt if they can prove the disruption was directly caused by the jet fuel shortage and that all reasonable measures were taken.