Flight restrictions from the end of May, airlines prepare for fuel rationing

Airlines may be forced to start cancelling European flights by the end of May due to a shortage of jet fuel, and governments should begin preparing contingency plans in case airports need to ration fuel, a consortium of more than 300 aviation companies said on Friday.

“By the end of May we could start seeing some cancellations in Europe due to a shortage of jet fuel. This is already happening in some parts of Asia,” said Willie Walsh, Director General of the International Air Transport Association. “It is important that authorities have well-communicated and well-coordinated plans in case rationing becomes necessary.”

On Thursday, the International Energy Agency said Europe had only about six weeks of jet fuel supply before facing shortages. Walsh described the assessment as “concerning.”

Although much of the world is far from rationing, the fact that the airline industry is calling for preparedness for significant fuel shortages highlights the bleak reality airlines are facing following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

The price of jet fuel has nearly doubled during the war with Iran. About 20% of the world’s jet fuel normally passes through the Strait of Hormuz, 69% of which is shipped to Europe, according to Kpler. The United Kingdom, France, and the Netherlands are particularly dependent on jet fuel from the Middle East.

Although the United States is more insulated from supply disruptions in the region, jet fuel is traded on a global market, and airlines, including United, have already begun cancelling summer flights to offset rising prices.

“KORÇA BOOM”