Summer fuel warning

A jet‑fuel shortage now threatens widespread flight cancellations and steep fare increases across Europe and Asia this summer, officials and analysts say. (washingtonpost.com) The European Union warned on April 22 that flight cancellations are “very likely” this summer if jet‑fuel supplies do not improve. (connexionfrance.com) The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said on April 17 that cancellations in Europe could begin by the end of May if shortages worsen. (iata.org) International Energy Agency Executive Director Fatih Birol told the Associated Press on April 16 that Europe has “maybe six weeks or so” of jet fuel left, a timeline that could force cuts as summer demand rises. (apnews.com) Airlines are already trimming schedules: Deutsche Lufthansa Group announced on April 21 it will remove roughly 20,000 short‑haul flights through October to save about 40,000 tonnes of jet fuel. (bloomberg.com) Industry trackers say carriers from KLM and SAS to Cathay Pacific and Vietnam Airlines have canceled or cut services since mid‑April, with at least 1,200 services affected in early reports. (airhelp.com) Energy and trade disruptions trace back to the Iran war and partial blockage of the Strait of Hormuz; analysts say Europe normally receives a large share of its imported jet fuel from the Middle East — roughly 375,000 barrels a day in pre‑crisis months. (aerotime.aero) Brussels moved on April 22 to create a bloc‑wide “fuel observatory,” monitor refinery output and said it may require member states to hold dedicated jet‑fuel reserves or redistribute supplies if necessary. (politico.eu) Travel experts and analysts are urging passengers to book early, expect higher fares in Europe and Asia, and keep backup plans for peak weeks — “have a plan B and a plan C,” advisers told reporters. ( ) IATA called the IEA assessment “sobering” and said airlines and authorities must coordinate now to limit cancellations as summer travel peaks. (iata.org)