• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

'The demographic dividend of the last 40 years is ending': J.P. Morgan says the world is running out of the two things that kept interest rates down

2

Jensen Huang made his $172 billion fortune on AI chips. His family's $75 million gift to Vanderbilt argues art decides what technology is for

3

The $39 trillion U.S. national debt isn’t as high as Japan’s and Singapore’s relative to economy size—and yet it's still worse somehow

1

'The demographic dividend of the last 40 years is ending': J.P. Morgan says the world is running out of the two things that kept interest rates down

2

Jensen Huang made his $172 billion fortune on AI chips. His family's $75 million gift to Vanderbilt argues art decides what technology is for

3

The $39 trillion U.S. national debt isn’t as high as Japan’s and Singapore’s relative to economy size—and yet it's still worse somehow
EnergyAirline industry
Europe

Ryanair’s CFO says the airline has plans for an ‘armageddon situation’ as the jet fuel crisis threatens weaker European airlines this winter

Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez
By
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez
Reporter
Down Arrow Button Icon
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez
By
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez
Reporter
Down Arrow Button Icon
May 18, 2026, 2:27 PM ET
Neil Sorahan, chief financial officer of Ryanair.
Neil Sorahan, chief financial officer of Ryanair.Jason Alden—Bloomberg via Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

The chief financial officer of one of Europe’s most prolific low-cost airlines says the company has come up with a plan for a potential ‘armageddon situation’ triggered by high jet fuel prices as the Iran war drags on. 

Recommended Video

Neil Sorahan, CFO of RyanAir, said persistently high jet fuel prices may cause some airlines that were already struggling before the war to be hit even harder or potentially go out of business come winter. As for RyanAir, the company is prepared for even the worst possible situation if the conflict between the U.S. and Iran escalates. 

“Do we have plans for some kind of Armageddon situation? Of course, we do, but I don’t see that coming to pass. As things stand, we’re operating a full schedule this summer, and plan to operate a full schedule into the winter period,” Sorahan told CNBC. 

Sorahan, in an interview with CNBC Monday, said despite the fuel crisis, RyanAir may be insulated from the worst of the effects of spiking oil prices because it has hedged 80% of its summer fuel at an even lower price than it paid for fuel last year. And as a result, he doesn’t foresee any cancellations this summer or any sort of fuel surcharge added to fares, even though price increases may not be out of the question.

“We haven’t promised no price increases,” Sorahan said. “We price to fill the planes and the consumers pretty much decide what that pricing is going to be.”

The strain on oil supply caused by the war and Iran’s grip on the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 million barrels of oil passed daily before the war, has skyrocketed the price of Brent crude to about $111 per barrel, around 18% higher than the price a month ago.

RyanAir did not immediately respond to Fortune‘s request for comment.

With negotiations between Iran and the U.S. stalled, and with President Donald Trump reportedly meeting with his national security team on Tuesday to discuss possible military options, it’s unclear whether oil prices—and by extension jet fuel prices—will fall anytime soon.

In just a few weeks, Europe’s supply of jet fuel will sink below the 23-day shortage threshold that could mean more rationing, canceled flights, and even the closure of smaller airports this summer, according to a note from Goldman Sachs. 

Still, in a separate interview, RyanAir CEO Michael O’Leary said he has seen oil shocks before during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and after 9/11: “This happens regularly within our industry,” he said. He claimed Europe is not going to run out of jet fuel, as some have predicted.

“We met with all of our fuel suppliers in Paris last week. There’s no issues over jet fuel supply right now through to September,” he told Bloomberg Monday.

Fears about the impact of the Iran war on low-cost carriers like RyanAir have come to the forefront especially after Spirit Airlines closed down earlier this month after 34 years of service. The airline, which was already struggling financially and had twice declared bankruptcy, was hit hard by the Iran war, and the uptick of oil prices.

Partly due to these concerns, RyanAir’s shares have fallen by more than 23% year-to-date. The airline’s shares were up more than 5% on Monday after it reported a 40% increase in profit after tax to just under 2.3 billion euros (about $2.7 billion) and a 4% increase in passenger traffic in its latest earnings report.

RyanAir CFO Sorahan said while other European airlines may “get themselves into trouble” in a similar way to Spirit because of high debt and increasing costs, RyanAir’s jet fuel hedging strategy will protect it and maybe even cause it to benefit from the potential misfortune of its competitors because of its oil hedging. 

“About 700 million people a night are booking with RyanAir so there’s no shortage of bookings coming through,” he said.

Subscribe to Fortune Gulf Brief. Every Tuesday, this new newsletter delivers clear-eyed, authoritative intelligence on the deals, decisions, policies, and power shifts shaping one of the world’s most consequential regions, written for the people who need to act on it. Sign up here.
About the Author
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezReporter
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Role: Reporter
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez is a reporter for Fortune covering general business news.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Energy

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

Latest in Energy

pjm
EnergyData centers
The AI boom’s hidden electricity bill — and why you’re paying it
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 24, 2026
12 hours ago
t
EnergyWhite House
Trump promises cheaper power from data centers. Analysts say bills could jump 40%
By Josh Boak, Matthew Daly and The Associated PressJuly 24, 2026
17 hours ago
shop
EnergyInflation
Oil at $100 is pushing up costs from gas pumps to grocery aisles
By Cathy Bussewitz, Mae Anderson, Anne D'Innocenzio and The Associated PressJuly 24, 2026
17 hours ago
Current price of oil as of July 24, 2026
Personal FinanceOil
Current price of oil as of July 24, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 24, 2026
20 hours ago
nyse
CommentaryEconomics
AI doesn’t end scarcity. It relocates it
By François Candelon, Paul-Louis Andres and Augustin ManchonJuly 24, 2026
20 hours ago
Meet SLB: The $70 billion oil services giant poised to cash in on AI data centers and the post-Strait of Hormuz oil exploration boom
Magazineoil and gas
Meet SLB: The $70 billion oil services giant poised to cash in on AI data centers and the post-Strait of Hormuz oil exploration boom
By Jordan BlumJuly 24, 2026
22 hours ago

Most Popular

'The demographic dividend of the last 40 years is ending': J.P. Morgan says the world is running out of the two things that kept interest rates down
Economy
'The demographic dividend of the last 40 years is ending': J.P. Morgan says the world is running out of the two things that kept interest rates down
By Eleanor PringleJuly 24, 2026
22 hours ago
Jensen Huang made his $172 billion fortune on AI chips. His family's $75 million gift to Vanderbilt argues art decides what technology is for
Big Tech
Jensen Huang made his $172 billion fortune on AI chips. His family's $75 million gift to Vanderbilt argues art decides what technology is for
By Sydney LakeJuly 23, 2026
2 days ago
The $39 trillion U.S. national debt isn’t as high as Japan’s and Singapore’s relative to economy size—and yet it's still worse somehow
Economy
The $39 trillion U.S. national debt isn’t as high as Japan’s and Singapore’s relative to economy size—and yet it's still worse somehow
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 23, 2026
2 days ago
The millennial generation has split, new Fed research shows: Those over 35 are edging toward boomer-style wealth, while everyone else falls behind
Real Estate
The millennial generation has split, new Fed research shows: Those over 35 are edging toward boomer-style wealth, while everyone else falls behind
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 22, 2026
3 days ago
Current price of oil as of July 24, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 24, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 24, 2026
20 hours ago
Turns out Dead Internet Theory was right: AI agents are eating the Web, growing by nearly 8,000% and rewiring the Internet's business model
AI
Turns out Dead Internet Theory was right: AI agents are eating the Web, growing by nearly 8,000% and rewiring the Internet's business model
By Mia OsmonbekovJuly 23, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.