Some major US airlines may 'not survive' unless oil prices come down soon, experts warn [View all]

Source: The Independent

Saturday 28 March 2026 18:17 EDT


Some airlines could suffer major losses amid rising oil prices, according to industry leaders and experts.

The ongoing war with Iran has driven up oil prices worldwide, which means airlines are paying more than expected for fuel. As prices continue to rise, United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby warned some airlines might “not survive,” according to The Los Angeles Times.

“If these other guys make the same mistakes they made six years ago (during the Covid-19 pandemic), and if the forecast about $175 per barrel is right, you’ll see airlines not survive,” he reportedly said. This comes after Kirby warned that jet fuel prices “have more than doubled in the last three weeks.”

“If prices stayed at this level, it would mean an extra $11B in annual expense just for jet fuel. For perspective, in United’s best year ever, we made less than $5B,” he wrote in a memo to United Airlines employees last week.

Read more: https://www.the-independent.com/us/travel/us-airlines-fuel-prices-iran-b2947727.html