A significant airline is set to cancel over 500 flights in the upcoming weeks, as reported. Aer Lingus has indicated that the cancellations are necessary due to mandatory maintenance on their aircraft. The Irish Independent has revealed that internal documents from Aer Lingus show that flights from Dublin, Shannon, and Cork airports in Ireland will be affected.

Departures from Dublin to various European destinations such as Berlin, Zurich, Athens, Faro, and Amsterdam are among those that will be removed from the schedule on different dates over the next few weeks. Additionally, popular routes to London Heathrow, Manchester, Newcastle, Birmingham, and Edinburgh are also facing cancellations. Passengers impacted will be rebooked on alternative services.

Transatlantic flights to and from Seattle, San Francisco, Minneapolis-St Paul, and Toronto will also experience disruptions according to the documents. An Aer Lingus spokesperson informed RSVP Live that the airline has started operating its summer schedule, with recent cancellations resulting from mandatory maintenance and limited schedule adjustments. The majority of affected customers are being accommodated on the same day.

Concerns have been rising about Europe’s jet fuel supply, with the International Energy Agency Executive Director describing it as a significant energy crisis due to disruptions in essential supplies through the Strait of Hormuz. This disruption is expected to have major implications for the global economy, leading to higher petrol, gas, and electricity prices. If the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, flight cancellations due to jet fuel shortages may become a reality.

Earlier in the month, Ryanair’s chief Michael O’Leary warned that flights could be canceled during the summer due to the escalating cost of jet fuel. O’Leary mentioned the possibility of canceling a percentage of flights through May, June, and July, attributing any cancellations to external factors rather than the airline itself.