Travel to the UK

Due to the ongoing situation with the war in Iran and the problems in the Strait of Hormuz, Brightspace Events have prepared the below information to help with your travel planning for attending DConf ’26.

No concerns over fuel shortages

According to multiple reports in mainstream media, previous speculation in April that there were issues with fuel shortages has largely been replaced with a more confident outlook from the UK Government, the airlines, and airports:

Financial Times – “European oil refiners and airlines and ‘almost zero’ jet fuel shortage concerns”

While refiners still believe the peak travel season will be a “stress test” for the sector, multiple oil companies said a warning of shortages within weeks from the International Energy Agency seemed unlikely to come to pass.

UK Government – “UK airlines are clear that they are not currently seeing a shortage of jet fuel.”

ABTA (Association of British Travel Agents) – “The Government and airlines are clear that there isn’t a problem with fuel supply”

Flight cancellations

Previous reports surrounding flight cancellations are also looking to be mostly exaggerated. The reality is that only a tiny fraction of flights have been cancelled, which is no higher than the numbers of cancellations that would normally be expected.

BBC – “Flights in and out of the UK are largely unaffected”

Airlines have cut 13,000 flights globally in May as jet fuel prices soar due to the conflict in the Middle East. But that only amounts to 1% of global flights, and flights in and out of the UK are largely unaffected. Data from aviation analytics firm Cirium showed Munich and Istanbul were among the worst-hit destinations.

UK Government – “While there has been media reporting on flights cancelled internationally, Cirium has stated that its data shows only 0.53% of the UK’s planned flights for May 2026 have been cancelled.”

Prices

Undoubtedly, fares have risen in response to the war in Iran. General consensus appears to suggest that the usual tactic of booking early is the best way to secure cheapest deals.

CNBC – “Travelers are best served by booking sooner rather than later, experts said. It would be risky to delay given the uncertainty around the war’s trajectory.”

Jet fuel prices in northern Europe surged to a record high of $1,904 a tonne in early April, more than double before the crisis began, according to Argus Media. Last week, jet fuel traded around $1,328 a tonne, 60 per cent higher than prewar levels.

BBC – “Warning higher Europe air fares ‘inevitable’ due to Iran war”