Virgin Group laminitis Sir Richard Branson has blamed formation terms rises connected "foolish leaders" starting wars, successful a thinly veiled notation to the US-Israel struggle with Iran.
Middle East tensions person choked the accumulation and proscription of millions of barrels of oil, causing a surge successful the terms of car and pitchy fuels, which are made from oil.
In May, Virgin Atlantic added a substance surcharge to summons prices successful response.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly defended the struggle arsenic indispensable for bid and information long-term.
However, Sir Richard said determination was "no need" for the war.
"The Iran struggle was wholly unnecessary. There was a atomic statement betwixt Iran and the remainder of the satellite that had been negotiated by President Obama and a batch of European people.
"It was working, truthful determination was nary request to rip it up... And this warfare has conscionable resulted successful overmuch higher lipid prices each implicit the world. And ostentation has been 1 of the consequences."
The BBC has contacted the White House for comment.
The European benchmark pitchy substance terms had been hovering astir $800 (£590) a tonne but spiked pursuing the outbreak of the Iran war, reaching a highest of implicit $1,800 successful April. It has since dropped to astir $1,450.
Virgin Atlantic's main executive, Corneel Koster, told the BBC that for "this level of substance price" substance surcharges were "absolutely required", adding that it's "hard to beryllium optimistic astatine this infinitesimal astir the concern successful the Middle East".
The surcharge Virgin introduced added £50 to an system people fare, £180 to premium and £360 to concern class.








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