The European Union is considering emergency measures to manage jet fuel supply as the crisis deepens. Officials are discussing requirements for member states to hold strategic jet fuel reserves and potential redistribution mechanisms if shortages worsen.
Authorities say it is still too early to impose mandates, but they have clearly warned that intervention will happen if markets fail to ensure adequate supply. The EU is also evaluating whether refinery output can be increased to stabilise availability.
The impact is already visible across global aviation. Lufthansa Group has cancelled 20,000 short haul flights through October across its six major hubs including Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Vienna, Brussels, and Rome. The move is expected to save 40,000 tons of jet fuel, alongside retiring 27 aircraft and winding down its CityLine subsidiary.
SAS has cancelled around 1,200 flights across March and April, mostly within Norway, with its CEO stating that jet fuel prices doubled within just ten days. Air New Zealand has trimmed about 1,100 flights, representing 5% of its schedule through May.
KLM has cut 160 European flights across April and May, citing routes that are no longer financially viable. Delta has delayed its Detroit to Reykjavik summer launch from 7 May to 7 July due to rising fuel costs, while Iberia is gradually suspending its Madrid to Havana route from June to November due to kerosene shortages.
Ryanair has also warned of possible summer capacity cuts, although no exact numbers have been disclosed. Overall, 19 out of the world’s 20 largest airlines have reduced their May schedules, leading to a roughly 3% drop in global capacity since March.
The crisis has been driven by a sharp spike in jet fuel prices, which have doubled to around $209 following disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, a route that supplies nearly 40% of Europe’s jet fuel. Industry leaders have warned that rationing and further cancellations could begin as early as late May if conditions do not improve.
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