BRUSSELS (Azat TV) – Europe faces a looming systemic jet fuel shortage that could paralyze air travel across the continent within three weeks if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed to maritime traffic. The warning, issued by Airports Council International (ACI) Europe, highlights a critical vulnerability in the global energy supply chain as the Middle East conflict continues to destabilize fuel markets.
Strait of Hormuz Closure Triggers Supply Crunch
The Gulf region serves as the source for approximately 50% of Europe’s aviation fuel imports. Olivier Jankovec, Director-General of ACI Europe, formally notified European energy and tourism commissioners on April 9 that the current market-based approach to fuel procurement is no longer sufficient. With benchmark European jet fuel prices reaching a record $1,838 per tonne—more than double pre-war levels—the industry is signaling that a collapse in supply could be imminent.
“If the passage through the Strait of Hormuz does not resume in any significant and stable way within the next three weeks, systemic jet fuel shortage is set to become a reality for the EU,” Jankovec stated. The trade body is now calling for urgent EU-wide intervention, including collective fuel purchasing and the temporary suspension of import regulations to stabilize the market.
Global Airline Industry Responds to Cost Pressures
The crisis is already forcing operational shifts beyond Europe. On Saturday, Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific Airways announced it will cancel approximately 2% of its passenger flights between May 16 and June 30 to mitigate surging operational costs. Its budget subsidiary, HK Express, will implement more significant reductions, cutting 6% of its scheduled flights from May 11 through the end of June.
These cancellations primarily target regional routes, with additional impacts on services to Australia, South Asia, and South Africa. Cathay Pacific officials described the move as a “last resort” necessitated by the volatile fuel market, confirming that affected passengers will be rebooked on flights departing within 24 hours of their original schedules.
Economic Stakes for European Connectivity
The potential for widespread disruption poses a severe risk to the European economy, where the air travel sector contributes €851 billion to GDP and supports 14 million jobs. ACI Europe warns that smaller regional airports, which were already operating on thin margins, are particularly vulnerable to the dual threats of rising fuel costs and reduced flight frequencies.
While a UK government spokesperson indicated that British carriers have not yet reported supply disruptions and continue to operate normally, the industry remains on high alert. The crisis has also reignited debates regarding long-term energy security and the necessity of accelerating the transition to sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) to decouple the airline industry from regional geopolitical volatility.
The confluence of record-high fuel prices and the strategic blockade of the Strait of Hormuz suggests that the airline industry has exhausted its capacity to absorb shocks through standard market mechanisms, shifting the burden of stability from individual carriers to potential state-level intervention within the European Union.