Ryanair Unaffected by Fuel Volatility, Keeps Full Morocco Operations

Tantan – Low-cost air carrier Ryanair has said it will keep its Morocco flight program unchanged this summer, even as airlines around the world deal with a new surge in fuel costs linked to the war in Iran and the disruption of jet fuel flows through the Strait of Hormuz. 

The Irish low-cost carrier said it has hedged 80% of its jet-fuel needs through the end of March 2027 at $67 a barrel, which it says gives it strong protection against current market volatility, Reuters reported.

The report added that Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary said the risk of a jet fuel shortage forcing flight cancellations in Europe this summer had fallen to “almost zero.” 

The airline industry is still under pressure, though. Jet fuel prices have jumped more than 80% since late February because of the US-Israel-Iran war, which has disrupted global aviation and constrained flows through the Strait of Hormuz. 

Another Reuters report said airlines could face an extra $14 billion in fuel costs in 2026 if the disruption continues, while supply is being rerouted across longer and more expensive trade paths.

RAM cuts routes

That wider strain is already showing in Morocco. The country’s flag carrier Royal Air Maroc (RAM) said last week that it was suspending 12 routes to African and European cities because of rising kerosene prices and softer demand on some routes. 

The temporary cuts include links from Casablanca to Kinshasa, Brazzaville, Yaounde, and Libreville, as well as routes from Marrakech to Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux, and Brussels, plus Tangier to Malaga and Barcelona. 

However, Ryanair’s position is different because of its hedging strategy. By locking in most of its fuel needs early, the airline is shielded from much of the current spike. 

Ryanair told Le360 that it does not expect any changes to its flight program in Morocco despite the recent rise in jet fuel prices. The company reiterated that it has protected itself from market volatility by hedging around 80% of its fuel needs until March 2027 at about $67 per barrel, a level it says is well below current market prices. 

Thanks to this strategy, Ryanair told the Moroccan outlet that it does not foresee any reduction in its summer schedule and expects to continue operating normally across its network, including its Morocco routes, even as other airlines face pressure from higher fuel costs.

The war has pushed up fuel costs, weakened bookings at some airlines, and forced carriers to either raise fares, cut capacity, or absorb the hit. Even though oil prices have eased from their late-April highs, they remain well above pre-war levels, which keeps pressure on airlines that do not have strong fuel protection in place. 

No US-Iran deal yet

According to Al Jazeera, Iran said on Friday it has not reached a final agreement with the US despite earlier claims from President Donald Trump suggesting progress toward a possible deal. Tehran stated that key issues, including the management of the Strait of Hormuz, remain unresolved and should be handled directly between Iran and regional partners. 

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei also rejected Trump’s demand that Iran “must” agree never to develop a nuclear weapon, saying Western countries cannot use such language toward Iran and that decisions are based on national interests and rights. 

Baghaei also responded to what Trump said about lifting a naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, saying the blockade was an illegal measure to begin with and that any change would need to be verified in practice. “We need to see whether in practice they will actually follow through on their words or if it’s merely a propaganda claim,” he said.

He added that Iran and Oman should jointly manage the waterway in a way that ensures security and protects regional trade.

At the same time, the war continues to intensify concerns over global oil and jet fuel supplies, as fighting and tensions in the region continue to disrupt shipping routes and energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important chokepoints for oil transport.