Aer Lingus has cancelled flights from its summer schedule and issued a statement to passengers affected by the changes.

The Irish airline said it has begun operating its planned summer schedule, but some flights have been cancelled due to “mandatory maintenance” on its aircraft and changes to schedules. Aer Lingus said the changes only apply to approximately 2% of its overall schedule. According to documents seen by the Irish Independent, “more than 500” Aer Lingus flights are being cut, affecting passengers flying from Dublin, Shannon and Cork airports.

Aer Lingus said in cases where changes have been made to flight schedules, “the vast majority” of passengers will be reaccommodated on same day services where possible.

A spokesperson at Aer Lingus told The Express: “Aer Lingus has commenced operating its planned summer schedule. A number of recent cancellations have been required due to mandatory maintenance on aircraft, along with a limited number of schedule adjustments.

“Schedule changes apply to approximately 2% of Aer Lingus’ overall schedule. Where schedule adjustments are being made, the vast majority of customers are being reaccommodated on same day services.”

The flight cancellations come amid warnings over jet fuel shortages due to ongoing conflict in the Middle East which could lead to flight cancellations “soon” if oil supplies remain restricted.

The head of the International Energy Agency (IEA) last week warned that Europe has “maybe six weeks” of jet fuel left as Iran continues to have a stranglehold on tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

If the Strait is not reopened soon, the impact on Europe may be that “some of the flights from city A to city B might be cancelled as a result of lack of jet fuel”.

Fatih Birol, executive director of the IEA, said Asian countries such as Japan, India and China that rely on energy from the Middle East are on “the front line”, but pressure will then “come to Europe and the Americas”.

The Airports Council International (ACI) has also raised concerns with the European Commission this month concerning the availability of jet fuel and warned that European airports could be facing jet fuel shortages in as little as three weeks.

In a letter to the European Commission, ACI Director Olivier Jankovec said: “If the passage through the Strait of Hormuz does not resume in any significant and stable way within the next three weeks, systemic jet fuel shortage is set to become a reality for the EU.”

The energy crisis has already prompted some airlines to raise ticket prices or add fuel surcharges, with both KLM and Lufthansa reducing their flight schedules due to rising fuel costs.

Lufthansa has also announced the immediate closure of its feeder airline CityLine, taking 27 older aircraft out of service early, Scandinavian carrier SAS has cancelled at least a thousand flights in April, and easyJet has taken a £25million hit on surging fuel prices.

Meanwhile, Airlines UK, which represents British Airways, Ryanair, easyJet, Jet2, and Virgin Atlantic, has submitted an emergency document to the government and the Civil Aviation Authority warning that flight reductions and fare increases are inevitable unless urgent action is taken.

In response to the jet fuel crisis, a Government spokesperson said: “We continue to engage with British airlines to support their operations against the backdrop of war in the Middle East, and to limit the impact on passengers.

“Most airlines purchase their aviation fuel in advance to offset price fluctuations, however we are aware of the impact to businesses, and are working with international allies to see a reopening of the Strait as soon as possible.”