European airports have issued a serious warning: the European Union could face a “systemic” shortage of jet fuel in just three weeks if transit through the Strait of Hormuz is not normalized.
ACI Europe has conveyed this in a letter addressed to the EU Commissioner for Transport, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, in which it warns that reserves are running out amid a full increase in demand.
The energy bottleneck hits Europe
The origin of the threat is in the Strait of Hormuz, through which transits close to 40% of the world's jet fuel supply. Instability in the region has shot up prices and strained supply chains.
According to the sector, if the flow is not restored “in a significant and stable way”, the shortage will cease to be a threat to become an operational reality across the entire EU.
Skyrocketing prices and first restrictions
The impact is already visible. The price of fuel has doubled, going from around 750 to more than 1,500 dollars per ton in northwest Europe.
Some airports have already begun to apply specific restrictions and several airlines are adjusting their operations due to the price increase:
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Reduction of flights on less profitable routes
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Capacity cuts
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Expected increases in ticket prices
Tourism, in the crosshairs
The warning comes at a particularly delicate moment, on the eve of the peak summer season, when air transport becomes a key pillar for economies such as the Spanish, Italian, or Greek.
The sector fears that a supply crisis could lead to massive cancellations, reduced connectivity and a strong economic impact across the EU. ACI Europe has called on European institutions for an urgent and coordinated response, denouncing the absence of a common system for monitoring fuel supply.
The organization warns that, without rapid action, Europe could face a logistical crisis with direct consequences on mobility, tourism, and the economy.