Ryanair urges early bookings as Middle East conflict prompts fuel price concerns

Europe’s largest airline has warned that ongoing disruption to global energy markets following the Iran war is likely to push up airfares in the coming months, particularly into the summer season.

The airline said passengers who book early could “be insulated from inevitable airfare and accommodation cost increases”, as jet fuel prices have surged sharply in recent weeks.

Chief Executive Michael O’Leary has also cautioned that continued disruption could impact fuel supplies in Europe, adding to cost pressures already being felt across the industry.

Ryanair is not the first airline to urge early bookings. Low-cost competitor easyJet made a similar appeal two weeks ago, saying air fares were likely to increase by the end of summer.

KM Malta Airlines is not encouraging passengers to book early specifically due to fuel price concerns.

Executive Chairman David Curmi had told MaltaCEOs.mt:

“Different airlines adopt different hedging strategies, network models, and pricing approaches, so it is not always helpful to compare one airline’s commercial message directly with another’s.

At present, KM Malta Airlines is not issuing any specific call for passengers to book early due to fuel price concerns. Fares are influenced by a range of factors, including demand, seasonality, competition, airport and regulatory costs, and fuel prices.

What we can say is that, across the industry, airlines are closely monitoring fuel markets. Several European carriers have publicly acknowledged that if elevated fuel prices persisted for an extended period, they would eventually put upward pressure on fares.”

He also said that “recent public comments by major European airline groups, together with IATA market commentary, underline that the current environment is being driven not only by crude oil prices but also by jet fuel refining margins and foreign exchange movements.”

While some carriers are moving to encourage early bookings as a hedge against rising costs, others are maintaining a more cautious approach, noting that fares are shaped by multiple variables beyond fuel alone.

However, there is growing consensus across the aviation sector that sustained increases in jet fuel prices – driven by geopolitical uncertainty and supply disruptions – could eventually translate into higher ticket prices for consumers.