A major aviation industry body has warned that Europe is running out of jet fuel amid shortages caused by the security crisis in the Middle East, putting the summer travel season at risk.
With the Strait of Hormuz and its key shipping routes under constant threat amid Israeli-US-Iran hostilities that have been ongoing since the end of February, oil supplies from the region have been severely limited. Benchmark petrol and diesel prices have shot up to record highs in Europe, causing protests by hauliers and farmers in countries such as Ireland. Asian nations have fallen back on coal due to a lack of green transition fuel, Liquid Natural Gas (LNG), and climate experts have called for taxes on excess oil firm profits to fund resilience strategies.
"Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz." – President Donald J. Trump pic.twitter.com/JInBTLyu2s
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 12, 2026
Now, the members of Airports Council International (ACI) Europe have written to European commissioners to express “increasing concerns” about the economic impact of the fuel “supply crunch.”
The letter, reported by the Financial Times and signed off by ACI Europe’s director-general Olivier Jankovec, said the shortage could “severely disrupt airport operations and air connectivity – with the risk of harsh economic impacts for the communities affected, and for Europe.” He went on to warn that “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.”
Worse, analysts have noted that even under a ceasefire agreement, the supply is likely to take longer than three weeks to normalise. This is not only due to the duration of the route out of the Arabian Gulf, but also to the fact that empty ships must first return to the stricken region—a situation to which insurance firms are unlikely to agree while any ceasefire appears fragile.
Willie Walsh, IATA chief, has said replenishing jet fuel supplies could take months even if Iran reopens the Strait of Hormuz owing to the disruptions to Middle East refining capacity https://t.co/u5iUUwTlX7 pic.twitter.com/B5OfQCxIlY
— Reuters (@Reuters) April 8, 2026
ACI Europe is calling for a coordinated response that would see enhanced EU monitoring of jet fuel availability and the easing of regulations around supply. It is also urging the bloc to undertake collective purchasing, so that travel is not dependent solely on airline hedging strategies.
The impact of shortages could affect regional airports and the areas that depend on them disproportionately, Jankovec noted. Smaller hubs typically have only around a month’s supply of fuel, meaning airlines unable to refuel there are likely to deprioritise them as reserves diminish. Aviation accounts for €851 billion or around five percent of Europe’s GDP, supporting around 14 million jobs in the bloc.
