Summer holidays at risk as airlines warn of fuel shortages

Europeans’ summer holidays may be complicated this year by problems with aviation fuel, Politico reported. Airlines are warning of possible shortages due to the war between the US, Israel and Iran and traffic restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz.

It is not yet an acute crisis, but concern is growing. If Iran continues to block the strait, airlines may cancel flights, cut capacity and raise prices. The price of fuel has already risen to around €1,500 per tonne, roughly double the pre-conflict level.

Some companies are already taking action. Lufthansa is considering grounding part of its fleet. Scandinavian airline SAS has cancelled thousands of flights, while Air France-KLM is introducing fuel surcharges. Finnair has also warned of more expensive tickets.

So far, most European airports report stable stocks, but the situation remains uncertain. If the problems persist, wider air traffic restrictions may follow. Even if the war were to end immediately, experts say it would take around six weeks for fuel supplies to return to normal.

(politico, est)