While the unprecedented airspace closures across the Gulf have impacted flights travelling to and transiting through the region, there are five immediate steps travellers can take when dealing with flight cancellations to regain control:

1. Contact your insurance provider to understand what is covered.

2. Check your airline’s policies as they might be able to offer a free rebooking or refund.

3. If you choose to rebook yourself, lean on Skyscanner’s smart booking options. Tools such as Price Alerts and Whole Month Search allow you to find the cheapest alternatives, so you can book the best option at the best price.

4. If your disruption take place in the UK, refer to government advice on air travel consumer rights. If you’re impacted outside of the UK and EU, check what your entitlement rights are as these can vary in non EU destinations. 

5. Keep records of all costs incurred as airlines sometimes cover expenses such as overnight accommodation, transport to and from the airport, and meals.

Our guide on what to do if your flight is cancelled covers these in more detail.

There are also measures that travellers can take pre-trip to safeguard their booking:

Travellers may have questions surrounding global jet fuel shortages and how it may impact summer holiday plans for British travellers.

Data from the Department for Transport (DfT) shows that only around 1,200 flights departing from the UK have been cancelled from 3 May to 14 June 2026, representing less than 1% of planned flights over this period. 

The UK government has advised holidaymakers not to preempt any cancellations themselves, and have rolled out a contingency plan to mitigate threats to the British air fuel supply. 

What’s happening with UK flight cancellations and jet fuel shortages

The UK government has introduced temporary measures to reduce the risk of widespread last-minute cancellations and preserve fuel supply for higher-demand holiday routes.

These changes give airlines flexibility on scheduling of their less popular routes, to help manage fuel supply more efficiently while maintaining as many flights as possible.

While there have been some cancellations, DfT has confirmed that these actually fall within the range of the number of cancellations it would expect ordinarily for this select time period. Furthermore, carriers such as easyJet and Ryanair are reassuring passengers that they’ve taken measures to protect against price volatility.

Understanding how major carriers are responding can help you stay ahead of potential disruption.

For further information on compensation for flight cancellations, travellers can check CAA guidance.

• Contact hotel, car hire and activity providers as early as possible, once delays or cancellations have been confirmed by your airline.

• Confirm grace periods and refund policies to understand your options.

• Keep receipts for your insurance provider.

• Document disruption evidence in case the hotel, car hire or activity provider requires this to waive fees or refund.

This cheatsheet breaks down how travellers can easily solve for some of the common causes of travel disruption:

Travel disruption occur for a number of reasons including flight delays and cancellations due to:

• Security risks (i.e. severe weather conditions, air traffic congestions, etc.)

• Operational glitches

• Logistical challenges (i.e. strike action, the introduction of new travel regulations, airline insolvency).

Disruption to flight schedules happen throughout the year but recently, the geopolitical situation in the Gulf region has caused widespread cancellations of flights which has impacted routes travelling to and from the area, as well as those transiting through the airspace.

The situation has raised questions around air fuel shortages, resulting in a number of proactive measures being introduced by airlines. These include, cutting down specific routes, increasing fare prices or introducing surcharges on flight tickets in response.

Additionally, various new travel regulations have been introduced which impact travellers in 2026, such as ETIAS, EES and the UK ETA, as well as new pet travel rules for Brits travelling to EU countries. As these changes are being rolled out, travellers face potential delays to entry.

Whether you’re impacted by commonly occurring reasons or by unprecedented global events, flight cancellations can often orchestrate chaos. And while no-one wants to deal with flight cancellations, knowing how to is a powerful tool against eliminating any hassle and anxiety if your flight is affected.

Five essential steps you should take:

1. Know your rights based on what your insurance provider will cover. 

2. Know your rights based on your airline’s policies, especially as they might be able to offer a free rebooking.

3. If you choose not to opt for rebooking options the airline can offer, check if you’re eligible for a refund, and rebook yourself using Skyscanner’s smart booking options (such as Price Alerts and Whole Month Search) to find the cheapest alternatives.

4. If you’re impacted outside of the UK and EU, check what your entitlement rights from the airline are as these can vary in non EU destinations

5. Make sure you keep records of all costs incurred as airlines are sometimes entitled to cover things like overnight accommodation, transport to and from the airport and meals

Traveller rights vary depending on the airline, route, timing of the disruption and local regulations. In many cases, passengers may be entitled to rebooking support, refunds or compensation, though rules differ depending on the cause of the disruption. 

The UK Civil Aviation Authority and Department of Transport offers the following guidance:

You can find more information on what to do when your flight gets cancelled in our dedicated guide.

When a flight schedule changes, travellers are usually notified after the airline or airport has confirmed the delay or cancellation. However, there can be some prior signs that can signal whether your flight is likely to be impacted. These include news of route disruption, airport notices, airline alerts, weather warnings, strikes or official travel updates.

The best way to stay on top of flight schedule changes is to:

• Check directly with your airline via their website or app 

• Monitor communication with the carrier via email, SMS or app notification

• Get live tracking updates with Skyscanner’s airport departure boards

• Check official government or airport advice

The government has advised travellers against pre-emptively cancelling their travel plans and has reassured travellers that UK airlines are not currently seeing a shortage of jet fuel. In fact, while data from aviation analysts, Cirium, shows around 13,000 flights were cancelled globally in May, this still only represents less than 2% of a reduction in global capacity.

As most cancellations are linked to aviation fuel costs rather than a resource shortage, the UK government is working with airline partners to minimise travel disruption ahead of the summer holidays. This includes a contingency plan to prioritise popular routes and avoid last-minute cancellations by allowing airlines to be flexible on flight schedules. Most airlines have responded by cutting down on less popular routes or adding surcharges to flight tickets to recuperate costs. 

Airline insolvency happens when an airline can no longer continue operating or meet its financial obligations. In some cases, this can result in cancelled flights, suspended routes or difficulty accessing refunds and rebooking support.

While these remain relatively uncommon,in the event that an airline you have a booking with does stop operating, these following steps can help alleviate pressure quickly .

• Check official airline communications for updates on cancellations and reimbursement processes

• Contact your travel insurer and payment provider to understand whether you may be eligible for protection or chargeback support

• Review whether your booking was ATOL protected or covered under package travel regulations

• Use Skyscanner’s flight search to easily compare replacement flight options across multiple airlines, routes and booking providers if you need to reorganise your journey.

Travel insurance offers protection against a range of issues. This may include flight cancellations, flight delays or airline solvency depending on your policy. However, be aware that exemptions may apply in certain situations, particularly for events linked to conflict, government travel restrictions or airspace closures. 

When facing travel disruption, review your policy to quickly gain an understanding of your rights and get in touch with your provider as soon as possible to get clarity of coverage and actionable steps, such as keeping a copy and evidence of expenses. 

If you’re looking to buy travel insurance, we’ve got the answers to your questions in our guide.

• Know your legal rights if you’re subject to flight cancellations. See our guide on flight cancellations to understand where you stand.

• Use Skyscanner’s nearby airports filter to expand search to alternative airports for more options

• Utilise Whole Month Search to find the cheapest flights if you have flexibility with dates

You can make your trip more flexible by using tools that help you adapt quickly when plans change. Skyscanner makes it easy to compare flights, hotels, car hire and train journeys all in one place, so if you need to rebook or change direction unexpectedly, you can quickly find the best option at the best price. Features like Price Alerts, Drops, flexible ticket filters and multi-transport search tools give travellers more control and confidence when booking.

See our guide on flexible flights to understand more.