The CEO of Ryanair, Europe's biggest airline, warned that a quarter of its fuel supply is under threat

Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary. Thierry Monasse/Getty Images 2026-04-02T10:56:58.264Z Share Copy link Email Facebook WhatsApp X LinkedIn Bluesky Threads lighning bolt icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt.

Impact Link Save Saved Read in app This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? Log in. The CEO of Ryanair said fuel supplies could be at risk if the Iran war continues into May. Jet fuel prices have doubled since the war started, rising twice as much as oil. More Europeans are traveling closer to home over the Easter break, too, Michael O'Leary said. AI-generated summary Summaries are generated by an AI model trained on Business Insider's articles. AI may make mistakes or provide inaccurate/incomplete information. We're unable to load that answer right now. Please try again. How do fuel prices impact airlines? Why are Europeans traveling locally now? What does the Iran war mean for tourism? What are Europe's main jet fuel sources? How can airlines manage fuel price spikes? The boss of Europe's biggest airline has warned that jet fuel supplies could be at risk if the Iran war continues for another month. Loading audio narration... "We don't expect any disruption until early May, but if the war continues, we do run the risk of supply disruptions in Europe in May and June," Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary told Sky News on Wednesday.He added that 10% to 25% of Ryanair's supplies could be at risk through May and June. "So like everyone else in this industry, we hope the war ends sooner rather than later." Jet fuel prices have been more volatile than oil since the war started in late February. While Brent crude is up about 50% over the past month, jet fuel has doubled, according to statistics shared by the International Air Transport Association.Ryanair and its subsidiaries make up Europe's biggest airline group by passenger numbers, carrying over 200 million last year. It has suspended its 12 flights to Jordan due to the conflict, O'Leary said, but jet fuel is the more immediate concern.While the budget airline has hedged about 80% of its fuel costs until next March, that leaves about 20% exposed to price rises, the CEO told Sky News. However, O'Leary was not concerned about canceling many flights."Most of Europe takes most of its jet fuel supplies from America, western Africa, and Norway," he told Sky News. Although he added that some suppliers are more dependent on the Middle East, too."We think our supplies are secure and we intend to continue to grow through this crisis," O'Leary said. Ryanair has also benefited from more Europeans looking to travel closer to home over the Easter break."Lots of families who would have been going either to the Middle East or flying over the Middle East to go to Asia have all rebooked, and they're going to Italy, Portugal, Spain, Greece," O'Leary told Virgin Media News on Wednesday. "They're all certainly staying much closer to home over the Easter school holiday," he added. "People are not yet changing their summer holiday plans, but that's likely to happen if this war continues."O'Leary also recommended that people book their flights as soon as possible, due to the risk that airfares continue to rise.