An oil crisis in the Middle East has led to a severe jet fuel shortage in Europe, prompting two major airlines to cancel hundreds of flights. Lufthansa, Germany’s flagship carrier, is halting its CityLine services, affecting flights to and from London due to soaring kerosene prices and ongoing labor disputes. Similarly, KLM from the Netherlands has confirmed the cancellation of 160 flights over the next month as a result of the oil shock caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
The head of the world’s energy watchdog has cautioned that Europe only has a six-week supply of jet fuel left amid the conflict in the Middle East. The International Energy Agency’s executive director, Fatih Birol, warned of potential flight disruptions if oil supplies continue to be constrained by the ongoing war in the region, particularly around the vital Strait of Hormuz waterway.
Birol emphasized that this situation poses the largest energy crisis the world has ever encountered, with countries like Japan, India, and China, heavily reliant on Middle Eastern energy, being significantly affected. The impact is expected to extend to Europe and the Americas by late May, urging travelers to stay updated on flight statuses.
Lufthansa’s CityLine services, connecting various European destinations including London, Paris, Frankfurt, and Copenhagen, will be suspended starting this weekend due to significant increases in kerosene prices following the Iran conflict. Ongoing strikes by German trade unions have further disrupted Lufthansa Group flights, leading to widespread cancellations across major UK airports.
In response to the financial challenges posed by rising kerosene costs, KLM has made adjustments to its flight schedules for routes that are no longer economically viable. Although there is no kerosene shortage, the airline has cited financial concerns as the reason for these changes. Additionally, Norse Airlines has canceled bookings for planned Los Angeles flights this summer from multiple European airports.
The surge in jet fuel prices since the start of the conflict in Iran has led to a sharp increase in flight cancellations at international airports, reminiscent of the disruptions caused by the Covid pandemic earlier.
