EasyJet is urging Brits to book their summer holiday as soon as possible amid potential price rises caused by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The war in Iran is having an impact on the cost of fuel which could drive up air fares ahead of the popular holiday months.

Although the budget airline is yet to see issues with fuel supply, Chief Executive Kenton Jarvis is advising holidaymarkers to “book as early as possible”. He warned that fares will likely increases as hedges on the price start to unwind. It comes as the price of fuel continues to rise, with the cost of kerosene 94% higher than the annual average. Meanwhile, crude oil spiked sharply again after attacks on crucal gasfields this week.

As reported by The Guardian, the EasyJet boss explained: “We’re not seeing any issues with fuel supply. We obviously stay in contact with all the airports and our suppliers, and that’s not presenting an issue right now. But it does depend, obviously, how long this lasts.”

He added: “The reality is, as you look further forward, and the hedges start reducing in size, I think the message would be book as early as possible, because that will start feeding in at some stage.”

Meanwhile, Ryanair’s Chief Executive, Michael O’Leary, warned that airlines will have issues if fuel price increases “drag on for six months”. British Airways confirmed direct flights to Melbourne this week, as well as announcing more services to destinations away from the Middle East including the Caribbean.

Executives of leading airlines spoke in Brussels as part of Airlines for Europe (A4E) this week. They urged European leaders to back the industry by cutting green taxes, adding they were “losing competitive ground to non-EU airlines, destinations and hubs that do not face similar regulatory obligations”.

The leaders continued: “The large-scale airspace shutdowns in the Middle East are a reminder of our resilience and how important EU airlines and hubs are for connectivity with the rest of the world.”

They called on the EU to change its upcoming laws for greener fuel, including a 6% blend of sustainable aviation fuel by 2030. They also want 0.7% eSAF, a synthetic fuel which primarily uses cooking oil.