US Jet Fuel Could Fill Europe’s Supply Gap Amid Middle East War
Two major international aviation bodies are pushing for Europe to accept US-grade jet fuel, BBC Business reported Friday, as Middle East conflict squeezes supplies from the Gulf and raises fears of a wider jet fuel shortage.
IATA Raises the Alarm on Supply Pressure
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has called for broader international acceptance of American-standard fuel as a buffer against potential shortfalls. Director of flight and technical operations Stuart Fox cautioned that a prolonged Middle East conflict would likely trigger fuel scarcity in parts of the world within a short timeframe.
Commercial aviation runs predominantly on two fuel types. Jet A-1 is the globally accepted standard for international operations. Jet A is its North American counterpart. Both are kerosene-based and chemically close. The key difference is freezing point. Jet A-1 performs better on long-haul and polar routes, giving airlines more operational flexibility at altitude.
Fox noted that North American carriers already rely exclusively on Jet A and safely serve extremely cold regions, including parts of Alaska, through the use of approved fuel additives and careful flight monitoring.
EASA Issues Safety Guidance for a Potential Switch
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has published a safety information bulletin outlining how Jet A could be introduced into European supply chains. The agency said a managed transition would not raise safety concerns. However, it flagged real risks if the change were poorly handled. Inconsistent fuel grades across airports could lead to unintended mixing, pushing aircraft outside safe operating parameters.
Background: Why Europe Is Exposed
Europe has historically leaned heavily on Gulf-region imports for its Jet A-1 supply. Since the outbreak of the US-Israel conflict with Iran, that pipeline has slowed sharply. Prices for the fuel grade most European carriers rely on have climbed roughly 50% since hostilities began.
American refineries have stepped up transatlantic shipments to compensate, but most are not configured to produce Jet A-1 at scale, capping how much additional supply can realistically cross the Atlantic. Airlines have already cut more than 13,000 flights globally in May as costs surge.
Airlines Watch and Wait
IAG, owner of British Airways, said Friday it was not currently experiencing fuel availability problems in its primary markets. The group did warn, however, that sustained disruption to both crude oil and jet fuel flows from the Middle East could eventually tighten supply on a global basis.
Air ambulance charities and smaller regional operators have already reported acute financial pressure from rising aviation fuel costs.
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