Jet fuel prices have more than doubled since the US and Israel first attacked Iran in February. The reason: Both Iran and the US have at different points blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for a fifth of the world’s oil and gas tankers.

Marina Efthymiou, an aviation management professor at Dublin City University, told DW that jet fuel prices in Europe rose from about €68.27 ($80) per barrel in February to €153.84 ($180) at the end of April, according to the International Air Transport Association.

“If fuel prices, which represent 25% to 50% of an airline’s total operating expenses, remain high and airlines have not hedged, they could go bankrupt,” she said.

In addition to spiraling prices, a shortage of jet fuel is expected soon. Two weeks ago, the head of the International Energy Agency warned that Europe has about six weeks of jet fuel left.

Europe consumes about 1.6 million barrels of jet fuel daily on average, and procures 1.1 million barrels from domestic sources. A large chunk of the rest — 500,000 barrels — used to come from the Middle East via the Strait of Hormuz, which is now all but impassable.

Air travel to cost more as airlines slash flights, add surcharge

Some airlines are transferring this price spike to customers. Air France-KLM has reportedly imposed a surcharge of €100 on long-haul flights , while Lufthansa announced on April 22 that it would cut 20,000 short-distance flights of the next six months. Scandinavian Airlines will cancel around 1,000.

“We are obliged to do so, because otherwise we just are bankrupt in a few months,” Sebastien Justum, Air France-KLM’s senior vice president, said at a recent event in the European Parliament.

Airfare has increased by 24% over the year, according to a recent report by Teneo, an advisory firm.

Andrew Charlton, managing director of the Aviation Advocacy consultancy, said that while fuel supplies are currently sufficient, there is a lot of uncertainty about the future.

“That uncertainty, and the extra cost of keeping the tanks full, is making tickets more expensive,” he told DW. “Travelers should expect fewer seats and fewer bargains on the market.”

What does the airline industry expect?

Airlines for Europe (A4E), an association of 16 European airlines which claims to represent 80% of European air traffic, has called on the EU to take urgent measures to limit the impact of the Iran war.

A4E has asked the EU to relax obligations under the anti-tankering legislation, which requires flights to load 90% of the needed fuel within the bloc. Such laws are intended to discourage airlines from loading cheaper fuel in countries with lower environmental standards.

It has also called on the EU to temporarily suspend the bloc’s Emissions Trading System, which compels airlines operating in the EU to pay for carbon emissions.

“These are temporary measures to weather us through the current situation, plus more long-term planning to be prepared for the future,” Ourania Georgoutsakou, managing director of A4E, said in a statement.

Airports Council International (ACI), which describes itself as the voice of the world’s airports, has called for imports from alternative locations, joint procurement by EU member states and more coordination.

“The current levels of jet fuel prices and the prospect of a new cost-of-living crisis mean that many regional airports across our continent are likely to face both a supply and demand shock,” said Olivier Jankovec, director general of ACI Europe, in a statement on April 28. “For them, this is nothing short of an existential threat.”

Jankovec did add, however, that airports in Europe are not yet dealing with fuel shortages.

European Commission stresses importance of inter-bloc coordination

“In just 60 days of conflict, our bill for fossil fuel imports has increased by over €27 billion,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said while addressing members of the European Parliament on Wednesday.

She emphasized the importance of increased coordination among EU member states.

“We propose stronger coordination, not only in filling national gas storage, but also when it comes to fuel reserves — especially jet fuel and diesel, where markets are tightening,” von der Leyen said.

Last week, the European Commission launched its AccelerateEU plan which includes monitoring jet fuel stocks and coordinating supplies to airlines and airports across the bloc.

Charlton of Aviation Advocacy said an EU-wide fuel observatory to map available supplies of jet fuel and optimize distribution is “up and running” and “praiseworthy.”

Others said EU monitoring and coordination can mitigate the impact of a potential supply crunch, but may not prove a sufficient remedy if the crisis prolongs.

“It can stop a national-level shortage from becoming a continent-wide panic, but it cannot create fuel that isn’t there,” said Efthymiou of Dublin City University.

Jet fuel exporters starting to keep more of their own supply

Exporters of refined jet fuel are also realizing they have an increasingly scarce commodity on their hands.

“Much of the world’s jet fuel is refined in Asia — South Korea is the No. 1 exporter — but Asian countries are starting to limit jet fuel exports because their crude also comes from the Middle East,” said Efthymiou.

Still, the EU is trying to build confidence that it stands ready to manage any future jet fuel shortages and is encouraging people to travel.

“While we need to prepare for the worst-case scenario, we also need to refrain from sending overtly negative and alarming messages that create confusion, or even panic in the traveling public,” said Apostolos Tzitzikostas, European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, in Cyprus on Wednesday. “We are doing our utmost to anticipate and contain the impact of this very difficult situation.”

But he also added that “if our citizens or potential tourists from third countries do not feel confident enough to book the tickets in the holidays, an [economic] crisis will hit sooner than we think.” (DW)

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Starting today (Feb 25), visitors to Britain from 85 countries must obtain an electronic permit in advance of their trip, or they will be barred from travelling, the UK interior ministry said.

The Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme requires all visitors who do not need a visa to enter Britain to purchase a pre-travel permit online at a cost of 16 pounds (US$21.57).

The scheme was introduced in 2023 and extended to European visitors in April last year, but has not been strictly enforced.

However, from Feb 25, it will be mandatory for visitors to the UK to have obtained an ETA to travel.

This means that airlines will prevent passengers from boarding if they do not have an ETA, eVisa or other valid documentation, the interior ministry said.

British and Irish citizens, including dual citizens, as well as those with the right to live in the UK, are exempt from needing an ETA.

“The ETA scheme is a vital part of our work to strengthen the UK’s border security, helping to deliver a more efficient and modern service that works for both visitors and the British public,” migration minister Mike Tapp said.

In October last year, the European Union (EU) began rolling out its much-delayed post-Brexit border security checks for UK nationals entering the bloc. Britain formally left the EU in 2020.

The EU’s Entry/Exit System removes the requirement to manually stamp passports at the EU’s external borders and instead creates digital records.

However, travellers have complained that the new system’s introduction has caused delays at some airports, and industry leaders have expressed concern that full implementation at Easter could cause widespread disruption.

List of countries required to obtain ETA to travel to the UK : 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-eta-national-list (CNA)

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Sri Lanka is among the top destinations for UAE residents to travel this summer, according to new data released by Emirates.

UAE media, Khaleej Times reports that per the data, UAE residents are searching for flights to Sri Lanka, Jordan, Morocco, France, India and Lebanon this summer.

Sri Lanka saw a 32 per cent rise, driven by interest in beach holidays, cultural sites, and budget-friendly luxury. Emirates offers several daily flights to Colombo, the report states.

Data by Emirates further reported a 13 per cent rise in flight searches from the UAE compared to last year, reflecting strong outbound demand ahead of the peak travel season.

The trend aligns with a wider global shift in travel behaviour. Emirates says overall searches for summer travel are up by 7 per cent across its network, with destinations in Asia, the Indian Ocean and parts of Europe gaining the most traction.

Vietnam recorded a 61 per cent surge in search interest, making it the fastest-growing destination on the Emirates network. The airline operates 25 weekly flights to Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Da Nang (via Bangkok). The growing demand is tied to Vietnam’s mix of nature, food and heritage sites, with Da Nang offering access to multiple UNESCO-listed landmarks and untouched coastline.

Mauritius, Sri Lanka also see strong growth

Searches for Mauritius are up 41 per cent, with Emirates operating two daily A380 flights to the island. Sri Lanka saw a 32 per cent rise, driven by interest in beach holidays, cultural sites, and budget-friendly luxury. Emirates offers several daily flights to Colombo.

France, Japan complete the top five

France saw a 25 per cent increase in searches, with Emirates operating multiple daily flights to Paris, Nice and Lyon. Japan followed with a 28 per cent rise, supported by 21 weekly flights to Tokyo (Narita and Haneda) and Osaka.

Who’s going where?

The data shows regional travel preferences vary:

• UK travellers are searching more for long-haul destinations like Japan, Sri Lanka and Mauritius.
• Indian travellers are focused on Australia, New Zealand and Ireland.
• German travellers are showing more interest in Japan, Vietnam, South Korea and the Seychelles.
• US travellers are leaning towards Africa, especially Egypt, Kenya and South Africa.
• Australian travellers are largely searching for flights to Europe, particularly France and the UK. (Newswire/ Khaleej Times)

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Sri Lanka has launched a campaign with seven (07) mega influencers, with travel-seeking global audiences and from all the key source markets to Sri Lanka, to create some of the most engaging content about Sri Lanka under the tagline “You Will Come back for More”.

According to the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB), these influencers are expected to promote Sri Lanka among social media-savvy global travel seekers targeting the upcoming winter season of 2024/25.  

This mega influencer campaign is the biggest Instagram-focused digital content campaign undertaken for 2024 targeting a global social media-based travel audience of 7.5 million where the focus is mainly gaining to multiple destinations including the UK, France, Germany, Russia, India, USA, Australia, Singapore, Cyprus, UAE, India, etc. Overall, the media value expected to be gained from this campaign is well over Rs. 44 million. 

Over 200 IG & FB posts, reels, and various other promotional content were expected to be created about Sri Lanka by inspiring winter holiday seekers to select Sri Lanka as the ideal holiday destination to visit Sri Lanka as one of the most Instagramable islands in the world

Within 10 days of an exclusively tailored destination promotional tour, influencers explored a perfect blend of some of the most highlighted tourism attractions as well as lesser-known destinations including, Haputhale, UVA- Paranagama, Wellawaya, Ohiya, and Kurunegala, to create some of the most inspiring travel content about the destination. 

Renowned international travel Instagrammer and content creator Ms. Dorothy Soh from Singapore who has over 1.2 million global follower base on Instagram (on Instagram: @dotzsoh) stated, “This is my 4th time on your beautiful island because I love the landscape, the people, the culture, the food, and the amazing scenery. All these factors make us keep returning back to destination, Sri Lanka. I will definitely share my travel experiences and lovely memories of Sri Lanka with my followers across the globe.” 

Major hospitality partners in Sri Lanka including Galle Face Hotel, Jetwing Hotels & Resorts, and boutique hotels such as Teardrop Collection and Garfield Bungalow & Cottages partnered with SLTPB for this national tourism promotion by offering their hospitality support while creating many reasons to visit Sri Lanka as the most preferred holiday getaway in Asia. 

The Department of Archeology, Central Cultural Fund, Lotus Tower PLC, Uva Tourism, Haputale Hoteliers Association, Haputale Estate, Ceylon Tea Board, and Barista Coffee Sri Lanka also extended their support to this project. (Newswire)

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The Chinese Embassy in Colombo has advised Chinese nationals visiting Sri Lanka to abide by the nation’s laws and regulations. 

Taking to Twitter, the Chinese Embassy said; “All Chinese citizens who come to Sri Lanka for business, work, study and tourism should strictly abide by Sri Lankan laws and regulations, and respect local religious and cultural customs.”

The warning comes after a Chinese national was recently reported to have attempted to enter Sri Lanka using a forged passport.

Commenting on the matter, the Chinese Embassy said that the case was under investigation.

A Chinese national was detained after attempting to enter Sri Lanka with a forged passport last week (17). The man had arrived in Sri Lanka along with a fellow Chinese national and an Egyptian. 

Upon being detected with a forged passport, the Chinese national is said to have behaved in an unruly manner resulting in Immigration and Emigration officials at the Katunayake Airport detaining him.

However, the group was released, on the directives of the  State Minister of Urban Development and Housing Arundika Fernando, who had claimed that the Chinese national in question was a foreign investor.

The State Minister is reported to have made a written request from the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration to allow the Chinese passenger to enter the country, stating that he had visited Sri Lanka to invest in housing projects which are under the purview of his ministry.

Addressing the matter, Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles told the media recently that the government is to initiate action against the Chinese national and that further action will be taken with the consultation of the Chinese Embassy in Colombo.

Following necessary investigations, Minister of Public Security, Tiran Alles yesterday ordered officials of the Department of Immigration and Emigration to deport the Chinese National. (NewsWire)

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The Wildlife and Nature Protection Society of Sri Lanka (WNPS) has advised motorists to drive with care and be vigilant of wildlife while travelling during the upcoming festive season. 

The Society has requested those travelling during the long weekend to be mindful of their speed in wildlife-surrounded areas to prevent roadkills and for the safety of motorists. 

Following are a few tips from the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society to help motorists drive with care during the holiday season.

1. Slow down when driving through forested areas. This helps you react quickly if an animal suddenly appears in your path.
2. Pay attention to your surroundings and be alert in known animal zones, such as areas where there are warning signs or crossing structures.
3. Use your headlights to help spot animals on the road, especially at dawn and dusk.
4. Avoid distractions that can take your eyes off the road, such as using your phone.
5. Keep your distance if you see an animal on or near the road. Slow down and give it plenty of space to move. Don’t try to scare it off the road by honking your horn or flashing your headlights. (NewsWire)

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