Europe risks running out of jet fuel, possibly having only six weeks of supply left, threatening summer flight cancellations if alternative imports cannot replace those from the Middle East after Iran's continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
On 17 Apr 2026 GMT+7, the International Energy Agency (IEA) warned that Europe faces a risk of jet fuel shortages within weeks if sufficient replacement fuel from outside the Middle East is not secured. Europe may have only six weeks of jet fuel remaining, with the situation becoming critical by June, risking summer flight cancellations if at least half of Middle Eastern imports cannot be replaced.
Fatih Birol, IEA Executive Director, stated that if transport routes remain blocked, flight cancellations could begin soon due to insufficient fuel supplies.
The IEA assessed that if Europe replaces less than 50% of its supply, real shortages could occur at some airports, leading to flight cancellations and reduced travel demand. Even if replacement reaches 75%, this risk may still arise by August if the situation does not improve.
The IEA report noted that before the crisis, Europe depended on the Middle East for about 75% of its jet fuel imports. Currently, many countries are urgently seeking new supplies from the US and Nigeria. Although US exports have increased rapidly in recent weeks, they have so far only compensated for just over half of the lost volume.
Source: BBC