On 3 May 2026, the Department for Transport opened a rapid consultation on temporary changes to airport slot rules, presenting the move as a summer contingency measure rather than a response to an active shortage. The department said the aim is to reduce the risk of last-minute cancellations if disruption linked to the Middle East conflict begins to affect fuel availability or wider aviation operations. The government position is that UK airlines are not currently reporting jet fuel supply problems. Ministers are nevertheless seeking a fast policy option that would let carriers set more realistic schedules before peak holiday demand builds.
Under the proposal, airlines would be allowed to hand back a limited share of their allocated take-off and landing slots without losing the right to use those slots in the following season. In practical terms, that would let an airline trim a schedule earlier than usual and combine services on routes where several flights to the same destination operate on the same day. The Department for Transport argues that earlier consolidation is preferable to day-of-travel cancellations. It would give carriers more time to move passengers onto comparable services and reduce the chance of disruption materialising at the departure gate.
The policy case set out by ministers is operational as much as commercial. The consultation is intended to reduce the need for lightly booked services to operate simply to protect slot holdings, while also limiting wasted fuel from near-empty aircraft. For passengers and tour operators, the main effect would be timing. If the measure is adopted, schedule changes would be more likely to happen in advance of travel, when alternative arrangements are easier to make, rather than after passengers have already reached the airport.
The Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, discussed the proposal at an industry roundtable on 30 April 2026 with representatives from Heathrow, Gatwick, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and easyJet. According to the Department for Transport, ministers have been monitoring jet fuel supplies daily since the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Alexander said there are no immediate supply issues, but the department wants tools in place before any disruption reaches passengers. The government also said domestic jet fuel production has increased and that the UK imports fuel from several countries, including the United States, that are not reliant on the Strait.
The consultation would sit alongside action already taken by Airport Coordination Limited, the UK's independent slot co-ordinator. Its updated guidance means airlines should not permanently lose slots if they cannot use them because of jet fuel shortages. Ministers are now considering a broader temporary adjustment. The distinction matters: Airport Coordination Limited's guidance addresses a shortage once it exists, whereas the government proposal would allow airlines to act earlier on the best information available about fuel supply risks or wider effects from the Middle East conflict.
The Civil Aviation Authority used the announcement to restate that passenger rights remain in force. If an airline cancels a flight, passengers must be offered a choice between re-routing and a refund. Where delays reach at least two hours for short-haul services, three hours for medium-haul or four hours for long-haul, carriers must provide care and assistance, including food, drink and, where needed, overnight accommodation. CAA chief executive Rob Bishton said airlines should give as much notice as possible if cancellations become necessary. The government's advice is that passengers notified of changes should contact their airline, travel agent or tour operator first, with the Air passenger travel guide remaining the main reference point.
Industry bodies broadly backed the consultation. Airlines UK said carriers are operating normally and are not facing jet fuel supply issues, while AirportsUK said it was sensible to examine contingency measures now rather than wait for conditions to worsen. The proposal is therefore framed as a limited regulatory safety valve for the summer 2026 season. If adopted after consultation, it would not remove airlines' duties to passengers, but it could shift disruption management earlier in the booking cycle and give airports, airlines, tour operators and passengers firmer planning assumptions.