EasyJet is set to cut thousands of flights from its winter schedule in the face of rising jet fuel costs.

Kenton Jarvis, the budget carrier's chief executive, told reporters in Brussels yesterday the airline is removing 600,000 to 700,000 seats from its winter schedule. 

Combined with approximately 700,000 seats removed earlier this year, the total reduction is now between 1.3 million and 1.4 million seats.

The low-cost carrier has not published information on the affected routes, how many involve UK services or the number of removed seats that had already been sold.

Fuel costs soared after the outbreak of the Middle East war in February, which led to disruptions to the supply chain in the Strait of Hormuz.

Mr Jarvis said: 'People are taking capacity out, we see that across all competitors.' 

The jet fuel crisis triggered by the conflict is reshaping the global aviation sector, forcing major European carriers to either hold ⁠capacity flat or cut it ahead of the typically loss-making winter season. 

The budget airline's competitors have taken similar action in recent weeks. 

Ryanair said in September it would cut its 2027 traffic target to 214 million passengers from 216 million.

Plus, Jet2 announced on September 4 it will be selling 200,000 fewer seats this winter.

A spokesman for easyJet said: 'Like all airlines, we review our schedule on an ongoing basis and sometimes make some changes. 

'The changes to our winter flying represent a tiny proportion of our flying programme.

'We make any changes in advance and typically choose multi-daily frequency flights so customers can easily move to an alternative flight.'

It comes after the boss of Ryanair last month said he has 'no doubt' the cost of flight tickets will increase over the next year as a result of the rising price of oil and the war in Iran.

Michael O'Leary, chief executive of the budget carrier, said: 'Fares for Ryanair passengers and every other passenger into the summer of 2027 are going to rise materially, I believe, because of significantly higher oil prices.

'I have no doubt fares are rising next year. The question is by how much.'