Portugal will allow entry to tourists from the UK without quarantine from 17 May. The Portuguese ministry of foreign affairs announced 14 May that anyone arriving from midnight on 17 May must have a negative PCR test within the previous 72h as a condition of entry, reports the BBC and others. Previous concerns over the viability of travel to Portugal centred on the Lisbon government's extending of a "state of calamity" until the end of the month, as well as an EU-wide tourism ban. The latest announcement from the Portuguese government appears to have removed this uncertainty. Following the UK government's publication of its 'green list' safe travel destinations earlier this month, several airlines ramped up planned capacity to Portugal. Ryanair disclosed that it was adding 175,000 seats to the country from the UK as of 17 May, connecting tourists with Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve. EasyJet intends to make an additional 105,000 tickets available to Portugal and Gibraltar this summer, including a new route from Newcastle to Faro, as part of plans to operate 1.65 million seats to green-list countries. "EasyJet and EasyJet Holidays have seen UK bookings surge within hours of the UK government revealing which destinations will initially be on the ‘green list’ for travel from the UK this summer," the Luton-based low-cost carrier said earlier this month. Chief executive Johan Ludgren stated that although EasyJet was "disappointed that so few countries were put onto the green list", it has increased its services to those countries that it can operate to "and we are ready and able to ramp up." UK airline Jet2 and its tour operator Jet2holidays said on 10 May that bookings to Portuguese destinations had jumped 600% compared with the previous day, before the government announced the amended travel rules. The airlines reported a 1,300% increase in summer bookings to those destinations compared with the previous week. Leisure airline TUI has also indicated plans to ramp up operations to Portugal, having previously warned that a lack of clarity over entry requirements to the country meant it may have to cancel flights scheduled for 17-30 May. With the latest announcement, those flights now look clear to take place. Credit Suisse describes the news as "a positive development" for travel to Portugal, and "helpful for UK airline cash inflows". Although a host of other countries have been placed on the UK's green list that will enable travellers to return without having to quarantine – notably Australia, Iceland, Israel, New Zealand and Singapore – most would require long-haul flights from the UK, a factor that is likely to constrain bookings.

Helvetic Airways will receive its first Embraer 195-E2 in June, after converting E190-E2 orders to the larger model. The Swiss regional carrier had originally ordered 12 E190-E2s, under an agreement disclosed in 2018, and took delivery of a first in 2019. Last year, Zurich-based Helvetic disclosed an deal to convert four orders to the E195-E2. All of the larger aircraft would be delivered in 2021, the airline said in July. Embraer Commercial Aviation chief executive Arjan Meijer says in a 14 May Twitter posting that Helvetic's first E195-E2 is on schedule for delivery in June. Data shows that Helvetic has eight E190-E2s and five E190-E1s, of which two and three, respectively, are listed as being in storage. All six in-service E190-E2s and one -E1 are being operated under a wet-lease agreement for Lufthansa subsidiary Swiss. The remaining in-service E190-E1 is being operated within Helvetic's own network. Earlier this month, Helvetic disclosed a number of seasonal routes to Greek and Spanish island destinations, to be served in collaboration with tour operators Universal and Hotelplan Suisse from July until October. The airline intends to offer additional, last-minute "pop-up flights" as part of its summer schedule.

The price of jet kerosene has risen to its highest point since the start of the pandemic, pushed up by stronger crude prices. Petrochemical market information provider ICIS – assessed the cost of barge-delivered jet fuel in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp import region at $577.25-578.25 per tonne on 11 May, a rise of $9 per tonne from the previous week and up from $528-528.50 per tonne four weeks ago. This time last year, jet fuel deliveries in the region were priced at around $200 per tonne. ICIS notes that, amid limited buying activity and ample supply, price increases have been driven by firmer upstream crude costs. A state of contango, in which futures prices remain above spot prices, "is likely to persist", predicts ICIS, although "sufficient stocks storage" means that "economics remain discouraging". ICIS adds: "Jet kerosene outright values remained largely firm at last week’s levels supported by greater steadiness in upstream Brent crude futures, hovering around $68 per barrel for most of the week, further buoyed by the US Colonial Pipeline disruption." Although crude prices did actually fall during April amid ongoing lockdowns in Europe and the worsening Covid-19 situation in India, "ICIS expects oil demand to recover at a higher rate in June, when it is expected that most countries will aim to remove major restrictions". Supply additions by the OPEC+ group from May could act to counter this extra supply and restore some balance to the market, ICIS suggests. In North America, the price of jet kerosene for delivery to New York Harbor rose by 2.75 US cents per US gallon in the week to 11 May, reaching 185.75-186, which compares with 166.50-166.75 four weeks ago. "Jet fuel supply in the northeastern and southeastern US is tightening as shipments are unable to be delivered due to the Colonial Pipeline shutdown," notes ICIS. In Asia, the price of jet fuel for delivery to Singapore was marginally higher week on week, at $71.18-71.58 per barrel, against $64.69-65.09 four weeks ago. "The market remains supported by an upbeat demand outlook in the US and Europe with air travel expected to pick up as coronavirus restrictions are eased," writes ICIS. "There has also been some upside from the shutdown of the Colonial oil product pipeline in the US following a cyberattack." However, it notes that demand is being held lower in Asia by weaker demand from India, which could be compounded by the return of several refineries in South Korea over the coming weeks following maintenance, boosting the supply of kerosene into the market.