The war in West Asia has unleashed a cascading crisis in commercial aviation that is now reshaping travel plans across three continents. With the Strait of Hormuz effectively blockaded, cutting off roughly a fifth of the world’s oil supply, jet fuel prices have more than doubled from pre-conflict levels—rising from about $85 a barrel to between $150 and $200 in recent weeks. The consequences are no longer theoretical: airlines are cancelling flights, raising fares, and imposing new fees at a pace that industry executives describe as without modern precedent.

In Europe, Lufthansa has announced the elimination of 20,000 short-haul flights over the next six months. Viewed from Frankfurt, this is a defensive measure to shield the carrier from ruinous fuel costs, but analysts in London warn that the region’s airports could face severe disruptions within weeks as fuel stocks dwindle, a warning underscored by the airport trade association ACI Europe. Across the Atlantic, the impact has been equally stark.

Canadian carriers have moved swiftly: Air Transat has suspended roughly 1,000 flights—a six per cent capacity cut between May and October—while WestJet has reduced its schedule by nearly six per cent in June and raised checked baggage fees by up to $50 for overweight items. Air Canada followed suit by increasing its first-bag fee to $45 on domestic and sun destination routes. In the United States, United Airlines has signalled that fare increases of as much as twenty per cent may be necessary, and Chevron’s chief executive, Mike Wirth, has cautioned travellers that the situation will likely worsen in the weeks ahead, with jet fuel tightening rapidly in both Europe and Asia.

For the travelling public, the message from aviation experts is unambiguous: book now or pay far more later. Henry Harteveldt, an industry analyst, has advised consumers to secure summer travel immediately, noting that fares are not expected to fall. Yet even those who act quickly face a fragmented landscape of cancelled flights and last-minute schedule changes.

Looking forward, the approaching peak season threatens to amplify the strain. With at least twenty carriers across key regions already trimming operations and fuel costs showing no sign of retreat, the global aviation network is entering an extended period of volatility. The summer of 2025 may be remembered not for its destinations, but for the disruptions that defined how travellers reached them.