European countries may run out of fuel for flights this summer — media reports
This is reported by the Italian newspaper *Corriere della Sera*, citing three sources within the EU.
According to the publication, current jet fuel stocks in Europe — even taking into account the latest deliveries from the Persian Gulf — are set to run out by around mid-May. And strategic reserves may not be sufficient to sustain flights during the height of the summer season.
Only two countries have emergency fuel reserves sufficient for 90 days. Meanwhile, most states will not last longer than 30 days, and some as little as 8–10 days. Despite this, there has been no official comment on the issue.
The situation has worsened due to disruptions in the transport of oil and fuel through the Strait of Hormuz. Europe imports around 43% of its aviation fuel from the Persian Gulf region. However, supplies have fallen just ahead of the peak summer season.
An additional risk factor is the limited capacity of European refineries, which are already operating at full capacity and cannot ramp up production quickly. The situation is currently worst in Eastern European countries and some smaller Western European states.
According to the publication, shortages are already being reported at some airports: refuelling volumes for aircraft are being restricted, or private aviation is being denied fuel, with priority given to scheduled flights.
Meanwhile, Brussels is still hoping that the truce between the US and Iran will hold, which would allow tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz to resume.
However, as EU sources note, even if supplies through the Strait of Hormuz resume, it will take weeks or even months to stabilise the situation — particularly due to logistics and the high cost of tanker insurance.
Among the possible alternatives for Europe, importing fuel from the US is being considered, though the final cost and terms of such supplies remain unknown.
In the coming days, Brussels plans to assess the actual volumes of available aviation fuel and draw up an action plan in case the situation deteriorates further.
