Aviation Bodies Push US Jet Fuel as Europe Faces Shortage Risk
Two leading aviation bodies are urging Europe to accept American-grade jet fuel, BBC Business reported Thursday, as ongoing conflict in the Middle East threatens to squeeze airline fuel supplies across the continent.
Gulf Supplies Slow to a Trickle
The International Air Transport Association and the European Aviation Safety Agency have both weighed in on the growing shortfall. IATA’s director of flight and technical operations, Stuart Fox, warned in a published blog post that prolonged regional conflict would likely trigger fuel shortages in parts of the world before long. The price of jet fuel widely used by European carriers has risen roughly 50% since hostilities began, according to the BBC’s reporting.
Europe leans heavily on Gulf region imports for its aviation fuel. Those flows have slowed sharply since the conflict erupted, creating a gap that additional US shipments have only partly filled.
Two Fuels, One Key Difference
Commercial aviation currently relies on two principal fuel grades. Jet A-1 is the internationally accepted standard, while Jet A is the dominant grade used across North America. Both are kerosene-based and broadly comparable in composition. The critical distinction is freezing point. Jet A-1 solidifies at a lower temperature, giving it an advantage on ultra-long-haul and polar-route operations.
Fox noted that North American carriers operate Jet A daily, including in Alaska’s extreme cold, through a combination of fuel additives and careful flight planning. He described a broader European adoption of Jet A as a practical pressure-release valve for strained supply chains.
EASA Issues Safety Guidance
The European Aviation Safety Agency published a safety information bulletin directed at fuel suppliers, airports, and aircraft operators. The agency said a managed introduction of Jet A into European supply would not raise safety concerns. However, it cautioned that an uncontrolled switch could push aircraft outside safe operating limits. EASA also flagged a specific risk from inconsistent fuel grade availability across airports, which could lead to unintended fuel mixing and dangerous assumption errors.
Airlines Flag Longer-Term Risks
British Airways parent IAG said Friday it had not yet encountered fuel availability problems in its core markets. The group cautioned, however, that continued disruption to crude oil and jet fuel flows from the Middle East could eventually tighten global supplies. Airlines globally have already cut around 13,000 flights in May as fuel costs climb, according to the BBC.
Regulators and industry groups are now pressing for a coordinated response before the shortfall deepens further.
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