London, United Kingdom. Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary said jet fuel supplies to Europe could be disrupted from June if the Middle East conflict does not end within the next month, potentially prompting airlines to cancel summer season flights.
Ryanair monitors suppliers and warns of flight cuts
O’Leary said the Irish carrier, Europe’s largest by passenger numbers, is holding daily calls with its fuel suppliers across Europe to assess the situation. He said suppliers indicated conditions would remain stable until the end of May.
“If this (the conflict) continues through to the end of April, we’re looking at a risk to supplies in early June. If it runs into May, then we don’t know what goes on,” O’Leary told a news conference in London.
He said that if 10% to 20% of fuel supply is at risk in June, July or August, Ryanair and other airlines would need to consider cancelling flights or reducing capacity.
O’Leary said the budget carrier would decide where to cut flights on a rolling weekly basis, focusing on airports with constrained fuel supply.
Airlines face shortages and rising prices linked to Strait of Hormuz disruption
Global airlines are contending with fuel shortages and high prices as the month-old U.S.-Israeli war against Iran snarls the Strait of Hormuz, a major oil shipping waterway from the Persian Gulf. Jet fuel prices have spiked since the conflict began.
Lufthansa cites early warning signs outside Europe
Germany’s Lufthansa is preparing for possible fuel shortages outside Europe, CEO Carsten Spohr said on Wednesday. He told the FAZ newspaper that shortages in kerosene supply would likely be felt first outside Europe, adding that some Asian airports were no longer accepting extra flights due to limited fuel availability.
IEA warns disruptions to increase and affect Europe’s economy
The head of the International Energy Agency said on Wednesday that oil supply disruptions will increase in April and begin to impact Europe’s economy, with the lack of jet fuel and diesel likely to be the biggest problem.
Impact spreads across carriers from Asia to the United States
The situation has affected airlines from Vietnam to the United States and dented major Gulf carriers including Emirates and Etihad. Scandinavian airline SAS and Vietnam Airlines have cancelled some flights, while United Airlines is cutting some unprofitable flights due to high oil prices.
How could potential jet fuel shortages affect flight availability at your nearest airport this summer?