Jarvis said concerns about the crisis and unfounded worries about the availability of jet fuel had hit bookings until now, but that the picture was improving.

“What we are seeing across the whole sector is a shortened booking window. Bookings are strong in the month of travel, a little bit outside that, and weaker further out,” he said.

“August and September are behind. My expectation is August for August bookings will be above last year and the same will happen in September.”

However, he said the situation was improving: “We are starting to see a lengthening of that booking window; we are two percentage points behind in load factors, it was three points in May, but there is still price stimulation needed.”

He said Egypt, Morocco and Greece were performing well in the lates market. “The western Med started strongly, the eastern Med has great hotel offers," Jarvis added.  

Jarvis was speaking during a briefing on easyJet’s third quarter results. He said he was not disappointed by easyJet holidays’ performance in April, May and June, whose pre-tax profits fell £2 million year on year to £84 million.

“EasyJet holidays grew 8% and we are expecting 12%, 13%, 14% for the full financial year, which is in a year of challenging demand. We will take market share [from others to grow].”

Jarvis warned fuel prices were still a concern, but said fares in July, August and September would be “flat year on year”, adding: “Fuel is a lot more expensive, if we were passing on the cost of fuel, they would be more.”

However, he did predict fuel prices would impact winter 26/27 capacity: “Fuel is elevated, so I would imagine capacity will be reduced for a number of airlines.”

EasyJet would be similarly cautious, he said, having returned to pre-pandemic winter capacity levels with combined expansion of 24% since 2023. “We will be moderating our growth going into this winter,” he concluded.