“Europe has about six weeks’ worth of aviation fuel reserves left,” IEA chief says

Europe has roughly six weeks of aviation fuel left.

This was stated in an interview with the Associated Press by International Energy Agency (IEA) chief Fatih Birol.

If supplies through the Strait of Hormuz are not restored, airlines may soon begin mass flight cancellations. He described the situation as “the biggest energy crisis we have ever faced.”

According to Birol, Europe’s leading airports have no more than about a month and a half before their strategic jet fuel reserves are completely exhausted. The reason is the effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz — a narrow maritime artery through which a significant share of global petroleum product supplies traditionally passed. The conflict in the Middle East and the nearly complete halt in shipping that followed have caused supply chains to collapse: tankers carrying fuel can no longer reach European ports, and no quick alternative can be found.

The head of the IEA warned that the consequences would hit the entire global economy. “This will lead to higher prices for gasoline, gas, and electricity, while some regions of the world will be hit harder than others,” the expert explained.

Birol urged EU governments to take immediate action, including the emergency release of state reserves and the search for new import routes. If that is not done, Birol warned, European airports will face “the darkest hour in their history,” resulting in chaos for millions of passengers and enormous losses for air carriers.

As Politico wrote, London Heathrow Airport has already seen cancellations because of the high cost of kerosene, while Scandinavian airline SAS has decided to cancel around a thousand flights. British regional carriers Skybus and Aurigny also announced cancellations and flight reductions amid a 120% year-on-year increase in fuel costs. Air France has raised fares for long-haul routes.

Ryanair said it may cancel between 5% and 10% of flights in May, June, and July. Earlier, United Airlines, Air New Zealand, and Vietnam Airlines also announced the cancellation of some flights. Some EU countries, according to Corriere della Sera, have aviation fuel reserves for only eight to ten days.