European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, has stated that airlines must compensate and reimburse passengers for flight cancellations caused by high jet fuel prices.
He maintains that surging fuel costs do not constitute “extraordinary circumstances” under EU law and are instead a normal part of doing business in the aviation sector.
Tzitzikostas downplayed fears of an immediate kerosene shortage in Europe, asserting that supply can be sustained for a “long period” despite warnings of potential crunches by June if the Middle East crisis persists.
The Commission is assessing the use of US-produced Jet A fuel as a temporary alternative to the European standard Jet A-1. The AccelerateEU plan launched in April 2026, this plan aims to optimize fuel distribution and coordinate emergency stocks across member states to maintain transport resilience.
Major carriers like Lufthansa have already cut thousands of flights due to rising costs, while others like Ryanair report being less affected due to extensive fuel hedging.
Under Commissioner Tzitzikostas’s directive, travelers whose flights are cancelled due to fuel-related economic reasons are entitled to:
- Full Reimbursement: Complete refund of the ticket price.
- Mandatory Compensation: Financial compensation unless the cancellation is truly caused by “extraordinary circumstances”.
- Airport Slot Protection: Airlines that cancel flights solely for economic reasons risk losing their valuable airport slots.
