EU to push for jet-fuel diversification as Iran war threatens supply

European airlines warn of potential jet-fuel shortages within weeks as a result of conflict in the Middle East

Sun, 19 Apr, 2026 - 14:55

Trevor Hunnicutt, Muhammad Al Gebaly, and Saad Sayeed

The EU will urge members to cut their dependence on Middle Eastern jet fuel and look into increasing imports from the US in guidelines expected next week, as the Iran war disrupts global supply.

The plans will put a greater focus on self-sufficiency and resilience via sustainable aviation fuel or synthetic fuels.

European airlines have warned of potential jet-fuel shortages within weeks as a result of the Iran war, which could disrupt the summer travel season. Europe is particularly vulnerable, as it imports some 30% to 40% of its jet fuel — at least half of that from the Middle East.

The EU’s non-binding recommendations will emphasise the bloc’s limitations in increasing jet fuel output domestically and provide guidance on how to handle potential shortages, the source said. A European Commission spokesperson confirmed plans to present a response to the energy crisis next week, including measures on jet fuels.

Availability of supply “remains the primary concern”, the commission spokesperson said, adding that if supply remained snarled through the Strait of Hormuz, the EU could launch a possible coordinated release of jet-fuel stocks.

Iran opened the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, a key gateway for energy flows from the Gulf, after a ceasefire accord in Lebanon, though US president Donald Trump said a naval blockade remains in place until a deal is sealed with Tehran.

On Saturday, Iran reversed course, accusing Washington of violating a ceasefire agreement by maintaining its own blockade of Iranian ports.

Flight cancellation

Flights in Europe could start to be cancelled from the end of May due to a lack of jet fuel, the International Air Transport Association’s director general Willie Walsh said on Friday. Airlines are cutting flights and grounding some planes.

The source familiar with the EU’s plans said the document would lay out guidance for airline handling issues in the case of fuel shortages such as losing airport slots due to cancellations and the EU’s anti-tankering rule, designed to prevent planes from loading extra fuel in cheap locations.

It will clarify whether a fuel shortage can be considered exceptional enough for airlines to avoid paying compensation for cancellations.

The source added that the EU has decided airlines’ calls for changes to, or the suspension of, the emissions trading system and sustainable aviation fuel allowances were not justified.

The European Commission also plans to introduce EU-wide mapping of refining capacity for oil products and introduce measures “to ensure that existing refining capacity is fully utilised and maintained”, a draft proposal earlier seen by Reuters showed.

US and Nigerian fuel

They will also look at the distribution logistics of increasing the use of US Jet A fuel, traditionally seldom used in Europe because it has a higher freezing point than the European standard. Europe’s Jet A-1 is better suited to long-haul, high-altitude, and cold-temperature operations and is preferred by the military.

Jet-fuel imports from the US and Nigeria rose sharply in April.

Some of Europe’s key hubs in Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Germany rely on the Nato-operated central Europe pipeline system, which supplies European-grade jet fuel.

A spokesperson for Nato did not immediately reply to questions about the pipeline’s logistics.

Airlines are preparing for a potential supply crunch, with the International Energy Agency forecasting jet- fuel shortages by June if the region can only replace half of the supplies it normally gets from the Middle East.

Some airports have warned of shortages within three weeks if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed to fuel shipments. The European Commission is expected to warn jet-fuel supply could remain limited even if the Strait of Hormuz is unblocked.