Airports could face a jet fuel crunch within 3 weeks as airlines weigh flight cancellations

Key Points

• European airports could face a systemic jet fuel shortage within three weeks if the Strait of Hormuz does not resume stable shipments.
• Jet fuel prices have doubled to about $195 a barrel, and reserves at airports are already low, with suppliers unable to guarantee deliveries beyond early May.
• Airlines are preparing for cancellations: Ryanair plans a 5-10% reduction in summer flights, and Lufthansa could ground up to 40 aircraft.
• Smaller airports are especially vulnerable, with Italy already imposing refuelling restrictions and the UK identified as the most exposed market.
• The crisis threatens to disrupt summer travel and harm local economies that rely on the tourism ecosystem.

Full Details

European airports are on the brink of a jet fuel shortage within three weeks if the Strait of Hormuz does not resume stable shipments, as warned by ACI Europe. The Persian Gulf supplies roughly half of Europe's jet fuel imports, and current disruptions have pushed prices to $195 a barrel—double last year's average—while reserves are critically low. Airlines are preparing for cancellations, with Ryanair planning a 5-10% reduction in summer flights and Lufthansa considering grounding up to 40 aircraft. Several Italian airports have already imposed refuelling restrictions, and the UK is most exposed due to its reliance on Kuwaiti supplies. Suppliers cannot guarantee deliveries beyond early May, leaving the industry to brace for possible widespread flight reductions if the Strait remains closed.