Europe flights face summer fuel crisis

Lufthansa has already cut flights, and European officials are preparing for a summer in which jet fuel may become the real bottleneck. (euronews.com) (usnews.com) The clearest airline move came on April 21, when Lufthansa Group said it would remove roughly 20,000 short-haul flights from its summer schedule through October 2026. The carrier said the cuts would save about 40,000 metric tons of jet fuel. (euronews.com) The warning from the industry came even earlier. On April 17, International Air Transport Association director general Willie Walsh said flights in Europe could start being canceled from the end of May if fuel shortages force rationing. (uk.marketscreener.com) Europe is exposed because it imports a large share of its aviation fuel instead of refining enough at home. Reuters reported the European Union imports 30% to 40% of its jet fuel needs, while the International Energy Agency’s Fatih Birol said Europe had relied on the Middle East for around 75% of supply. (usnews.com) (cnbc.com) That matters most in summer because demand spikes just as supply looks least flexible. Birol told CNBC that August jet fuel demand is typically about 40% higher than March demand, raising the odds that higher prices turn into outright shortages. (cnbc.com) Fuel costs have already surged. CNBC, citing International Air Transport Association data, reported jet fuel prices were up 103% by the end of March from the prior month, while Euronews cited IATA research putting Europe’s weekly average at $188 a barrel, up 106.5% from last year’s average. (cnbc.com) (euronews.com) European officials are not yet declaring a crisis. Transport commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas said on April 21 that there were no shortages “as of today” and no signs of widespread cancellations in the coming weeks or months, but he also called a prolonged Hormuz blockage “catastrophic.” (usnews.com) The European Commission said it would issue guidance to airlines on airport slots, passenger rights and public service obligations if shortages worsen. It also plans a new fuel observatory to track supplies, starting with jet fuel. (usnews.com) For travelers, the immediate issue is not only price but protection. The European Union says passengers on covered flights must receive written notice of their rights when a flight is canceled or heavily delayed, including rules on assistance and compensation. (europa.eu) The Commission has also said higher fuel prices alone would not justify waiving passenger compensation, even as airlines argue the supply shock is outside their control. That leaves carriers, regulators and travelers all waiting on the same thing: whether Europe can secure enough fuel before the summer rush arrives. (euronews.com) (usnews.com)