What are my rights if flights are cancelled and holidays disrupted due to fuel shortage?

Travellers check on a departure board displaying cancelled flights to Middle East countries amid the US-Israel conflict with Iran, at Heathrow airport terminal 4 on 2 March 2026. Photograph: Isabel Infantes/Reuters

The war in the Middle East has prompted fears that potential shortages of jet fuel could result in flight cancellations this summer and warnings that holidays could be severely disrupted.

Airports have said jet fuel could run short within three weeks as a result of supply problems after the strait of Hormuz was effectively closed when war broke out at the end of February.