# Week Ender: Did Europe dodge a summer travel crisis?

An episode of [Brussels Playbook Podcast](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1244862657), 17 Jul 2026, 23 min.

Audio: https://traffic.megaphone.fm/POLL6437614740.mp3

Europeans are traveling in huge numbers this summer — but the conflict in the Middle East, volatile fuel prices linked to disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, and a troubled new border system are making journeys more complicated. Sarah Wheaton is joined by POLITICO reporters Ben Munster, Tommaso Lecca and Jordyn Dahl to unpack how Europe avoided the jet fuel crisis that many had feared; whether flight ticket prices could still rise in the coming months; what passengers are owed when things go wrong; and why the EU’s new Entry/Exit System is producing such long queues. Plus, we’d love to hear your summer reading recommendations. Anything goes: politics, crime, romance, non-fiction, poetry and more. We’ll feature some of your suggestions in a future episode. Send us a voice note or message us on WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29. You can also email us at podcast@politico.eu. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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