The European market is facing a critical shortage of kerosene, with only six weeks of supply remaining, and the war in Iran is threatening the continent with a major aviation crisis.
Since the war broke out, jet fuel prices have jumped 70 percent, threatening the financial health of European airlines.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has warned that this scarcity may soon lead to widespread flight cancellations across Europe.
To combat the dwindling supply, the EU is reportedly developing an emergency plan to maximize refinery output and stabilize fuel distribution.
Fatih Birol, the director of the IEA, stated that these disruptions are a direct consequence of the ongoing blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.
He emphasized the gravity of the situation, warning: “The longer the blockade lasts, the worse it will be for world economic growth and inflation.”
The crisis is expected to move from logistical warnings to direct impacts on travelers, according to Berliner Zeitung.
Birol told the AP news agency, “We’ll soon hear that flights from City A to City B are being canceled due to kerosene shortages.”
Describing this as the most severe energy crisis of his career, he predicted rising costs for gasoline, gas, and electricity globally.
He noted that the primary victims would be poorer nations in Asia, Africa, and Latin America—the states “whose voices are least heard.”
Subsequently, before the crisis hits Europe and the Americas.
He specifically cited countries like Japan, South Korea, India, China, Pakistan, and Bangladesh as being particularly vulnerable.
The industry is already seeing significant fallout from these rising costs.
Lufthansa has announced that, with immediate effect, it will terminate the flight offer of its regional subsidiary, Cityline, and from Saturday, it will stop 27 older aircraft.
CFO Till Streichert explained that the current emergency is forcing the airline to accelerate restructuring plans that were already in the works.
According to the Berliner Zeitung, the airline cited skyrocketing kerosene prices and recent strikes as the primary drivers behind these drastic measures.
While only 10 percent of Europe’s oil comes through the Strait of Hormuz, 50 percent of its kerosene arrives from the region, meaning airlines are especially vulnerable.
Other authorities put this figure even higher, with the International Energy Agency (IEA) stating that the Persian Gulf normally accounts for approximately 75 percent of Europe’s net kerosene imports.
Airport operators are already calling the EU to take emergency measures, including a suspension of aviation taxes to ease the financial burden on airlines.