Airlines fear flight cancellations as Middle East war threatens jet fuel supplies, with IATA calling for coordinated rationing plans.
PARIS: The head of the International Air Transport Association has issued a stark warning over potential jet fuel shortages in Europe.
Willie Walsh called on authorities to implement “well-coordinated plans in place” in case rationing becomes necessary due to the Middle East war.
He described a recent International Energy Agency assessment as “sobering”. The IEA warned that aircraft fuel could start running out in Europe within six weeks.
“We have also estimated that by the end of May we could start to see some cancellations in Europe for lack of jet fuel,” Walsh said in a statement. He confirmed this is already happening in parts of Asia.
The projected shortage stems from Iran’s effective blockage of the Strait of Hormuz. This key shipping lane was closed after the United States and Israel started a war at the end of February.
Although Iran’s foreign minister said on Friday his country was now reopening the strait, shipping companies remain wary. Walsh’s statement was issued before this Iranian announcement.
EU energy commissioner Dan Jorgensen told the Financial Times that flights could soon be cancelled. He suggested EU countries might share jet fuel to cushion the impact of a lengthy crisis.
However, an EU spokeswoman offered a more tempered assessment of the immediate threat. Anna-Kaisa Itkonen told journalists that currently “there is no indication of a systemic fuel shortages that would lead to widespread flight cancellations”.
