A potential jet fuel crisis linked to the war in Iran could impact global air travel, with Asia expected to feel the effects first, according to International Air Transport Association (IATA) Director General Willie Walsh.
Walsh warned that a fuel shortage during the peak summer travel season in the Northern Hemisphere is becoming a growing concern. He said the crisis would likely begin in Asia before spreading to Europe, and later affecting Africa and Latin America.
As a result, airlines may begin reducing flight schedules in anticipation of limited fuel supplies. “I think we will see airlines starting to reduce some of their schedules as we go towards the peak summer period in anticipation of some fuel shortages,” Walsh said.
Despite the concerns, Walsh does not expect a complete disruption of travel similar to what occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. He emphasized that passenger demand remains strong and that people are still expected to travel during the summer.
“I think that people will continue to fly through the summer period and that people will expect to have a holiday during the summer as they have in previous years,” he said.
Walsh also noted that supplies of Jet A fuel, which has a higher freezing point, could help ease pressure on fuel availability in Europe. However, this would depend on regulators moving quickly to approve its use and confirming that it meets required specifications.
“We could see supplies of Jet A fuel being used in Europe, provided we have the regulators move fast enough and that they’re satisfied that the specification of the fuel is okay to use,” Walsh added.
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