French transport minister downplays summer travel disruption risks

France does not expect widespread flight cancellations during the upcoming summer travel season, despite concerns over a potential aviation fuel shortage linked to the conflict involving Iran.

Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said on Friday, May 8, that no major disruptions to flight schedules are anticipated, even as some airlines have begun making limited reductions to their operations.

According to Tabarot, airlines are generally reluctant to cancel flights during peak travel periods due to strong demand. As an example, Transavia France has reported cancelling around 2% of its flights in May and June.

To mitigate potential impacts on the aviation sector, French authorities are preparing support measures for airlines. These include deferrals of social contributions, extensions of tax deadlines, and more flexible arrangements for fuel supplies.

Concerns over fuel availability have been raised at the European level, where airlines have warned about possible disruptions due to reduced supplies from the Middle East, a region that accounts for a significant share of aviation fuel imports.

Despite these risks, the French government maintains that the summer travel season is unlikely to face major disruption.

By Tamilla Hasanova