Airlines grounding dozens of planes
Two major European carriers have already grounded dozens of aircraft as the fuel situation worsens, according to regional reporting. (liverpoolecho.co.uk) Analysts warn more carriers could take similar steps if kerosene supplies don’t stabilize. (wingsmagazine.com)
Europe’s airlines are starting to cut flying as jet fuel tightens, with Lufthansa and SAS already withdrawing planes and canceling flights. (cnbc.com) Lufthansa said on April 16 that 27 aircraft at its CityLine subsidiary would be permanently withdrawn from service that week amid rising jet fuel prices and labor-dispute costs. SAS said earlier, on March 17, that it would cancel at least 1,000 flights in April after jet fuel prices doubled in 10 days. (cnbc.com) (france24.com) The supply squeeze is tied to the Strait of Hormuz, the shipping lane between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Argus Media told the Associated Press that the strait accounts for about 40% of Europe’s jet fuel imports, and no jet fuel had passed through it since the war began. (pbs.org) Fatih Birol, the executive director of the International Energy Agency, said on April 16 that Europe had “maybe six weeks” of jet fuel supplies left. The International Air Transport Association said jet fuel is airlines’ biggest cost, at about 30% of overall expenses, and prices have roughly doubled since the war began. (apnews.com) (euronews.com) Analysts told CNBC this could turn “systemic” within three to four weeks if shipments do not resume, with severe flight cuts in May and June. ACI Europe, the airport trade group, warned last week that shortages could hit in as little as three weeks and disrupt the summer peak. (cnbc.com) Jet fuel is refined from crude oil, then moved by ship and pipeline and stored at airports before airlines buy and load it onto planes. That system usually runs in the background, but it becomes fragile when a major import route closes and refineries in one region cannot quickly replace lost barrels from another. (wingsmagazine.com) (iata.org) Europe was already more exposed than it used to be. IATA said in a November 2025 brief that refinery closures had increased the region’s reliance on imported jet fuel and weakened supply resilience before the latest shock. (iata.org) Not every airline is in the same position. Ryanair said on April 15 that suppliers had guaranteed shipments until at least mid-May, while analysts told AP that larger carriers with more cash and storage can cope better with short-term shortages than smaller rivals. (bloomberg.com) (pbs.org) Airlines have also been trying to pass some of the pain to travelers through higher fares, baggage fees, and fuel surcharges while they protect the routes that matter most to their networks. IATA Director General Willie Walsh said on April 17 that Europe could start seeing cancellations for lack of jet fuel by the end of May if the supply picture does not improve. (pbs.org) (euronews.com)
