IATA and EASA Push US Jet Fuel as European Supply Crisis Deepens
Two major international aviation bodies are pushing for wider acceptance of US-grade jet fuel in Europe, BBC Business reported Thursday, as the ongoing US-Israel war with Iran squeezes Gulf supply chains and drives prices sharply higher.
Aviation Bodies Sound the Alarm on Jet Fuel Shortage
The International Air Transport Association and the European Aviation Safety Agency have both moved to address the jet fuel shortage risk. IATA’s director of flight and technical operations, Stuart Fox, warned in a published post that a prolonged Middle East conflict could trigger supply shortfalls across parts of the world within a relatively short window. EASA followed by issuing a formal safety bulletin outlining how US-produced fuel could enter European markets and what risks operators would need to manage.
The price of jet fuel used by most European carriers has risen by roughly half since the conflict began. Airlines globally have already cut around 13,000 flights during May as fuel costs have soared.
Two Fuels, One Problem
Commercial aviation primarily relies on two kerosene-based fuels. Jet A-1 is the internationally accepted standard. Jet A is the North American equivalent. The critical difference is the freezing point. Jet A-1 performs better on long-haul and polar routes in extreme cold. Europe has historically depended heavily on Jet A-1 imports from Gulf refiners, and that flow has now slowed considerably.
US refineries have been ramping up transatlantic shipments to compensate. However, many American facilities are not configured to produce Jet A-1 at scale. Fox argued that authorising the use of Jet A in European operations could relieve that constraint. He noted that North American carriers already operate Jet A successfully in cold-climate markets such as Alaska, using additives and careful flight planning to stay within safe limits.
Safety Conditions Apply
EASA’s bulletin stressed that introducing Jet A into European supply chains carries manageable risk only if the transition is carefully controlled. Unmanaged mixing of fuel grades across airports could push aircraft outside safe operating parameters, the agency warned. Inconsistent availability at different airports could compound that risk further.
British Airways parent IAG acknowledged Friday it was not currently experiencing supply disruptions in its key markets. But the airline group cautioned that a sustained conflict restricting both crude oil and jet fuel flows from the Middle East could create global supply problems in time.
