Europe’s jet‑fuel worry

Europe’s airport industry says the continent could run into a systemic jet-fuel shortage within three weeks if traffic through the Strait of Hormuz does not resume in a stable way. (reuters.com) Airports Council International Europe sent that warning to European Union transport commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas in a 9 April letter, saying urgent bloc-wide action was needed before the summer travel peak. (cnbc.com) The trade group said Gulf suppliers account for about half of Europe’s jet-fuel imports, leaving airports exposed when shipments through the Strait of Hormuz slow or stop. (wam.ae) Jet fuel is refined kerosene for aircraft, and Europe imports part of that supply by tanker from the Gulf before it is stored and trucked or piped to airports. When ships are delayed, airports do not lose fuel instantly, but inventories start running down. (euronews.com) The timing is awkward because European aviation is heading into the busiest part of the year, when school holidays and long-haul travel push up fuel demand. Airports Council International Europe said a shortage would hit airport operations and air connectivity across the region. (ft.com) The warning also lands after weeks of wider energy disruption tied to fighting around Iran and shipping in the Gulf. Reuters reported on 10 April that the airport group was asking for coordinated monitoring of stocks and supply routes across the European Union. (reuters.com) Airlines are signaling that reopening the waterway would not end the problem overnight. International Air Transport Association director general Willie Walsh said on 8 April that jet-fuel supply could take months to recover even if the strait reopens, because refinery and shipping disruptions would still need time to unwind. (wsau.com) European officials are also trying to build a second fuel system alongside conventional kerosene. Under the European Commission’s ReFuelEU Aviation rules, suppliers at European Union airports must blend sustainable aviation fuel into jet fuel, starting at 2% in 2025 and rising over time. (transport.ec.europa.eu) That policy does not solve an immediate shipping shock, because Europe still relies heavily on fossil jet fuel and sustainable aviation fuel production remains limited. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency said most projected European output through 2030 is still expected to come from hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids, with synthetic e-fuel plants largely not yet beyond pilot stage. (easa.europa.eu) For travelers, the near-term test is whether Gulf flows stabilize before airport tanks tighten further. For airports and airlines, the next few weeks look less like a price spike than a logistics race. (bloomberg.com)