Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on April 14, 2026
2 min readLast updated: April 14, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleVirgin Atlantic CEO Corneel Koster warns that persistently high jet fuel prices—over twice pre‑war levels—and a prolonged Middle East conflict could hinder the airline’s return to profitability, despite fuel surcharges and limited supply buffering.
April 13 (Reuters) - Virgin Atlantic Chief Executive Corneel Koster has warned that elevated jet fuel prices are "here to stay", and said that a prolonged war in the Middle East could dampen global travel demand, the Financial Times reported on Monday.
In an interview with the FT, Koster said the British airline will struggle to return to profitability this year, even after adding fuel surcharges to fares in an effort to counter rising costs.
He added that despite what he described as the "positive news" of a ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, "all-in jet fuel prices" remain more than double their pre-war levels.
In a separate interview with Bloomberg News, Koster said Virgin Atlantic has about six weeks of secure jet fuel supplies before the outlook gets murkier.
He added that the airline is in discussions with governments and its base at London's Heathrow Airport to help ensure adequate fuel availability.
(Reporting by Disha Mishra in Bengaluru; Editing by Sumana Nandy)
Virgin Atlantic's CEO says elevated jet fuel prices are driven by instability in the Middle East and remain more than double pre-war levels.
Virgin Atlantic has added fuel surcharges to fares and is discussing supply security with governments and Heathrow Airport.
The CEO warns that a prolonged Middle East conflict may reduce global travel demand due to higher operating costs.
The CEO acknowledges it will be challenging for Virgin Atlantic to return to profitability in the current environment.
Virgin Atlantic currently has about six weeks of secure jet fuel supply before future availability becomes uncertain.
Explore more articles in the Finance category
