Spain and Greece flights could face cancellations later this year amid jet fuel crisis fears
- World Travel
- May 24
- 2 min read
Flights to popular European destinations including Greece and Spain could face cancellations later this year if the ongoing Middle East conflict continues to disrupt global jet fuel supplies, aviation experts have warned.
While airlines have sought to reassure travellers that summer holidays remain protected, industry analysts say the situation could become far more serious by late summer and into the end of 2026 if the Strait of Hormuz remains heavily disrupted.
The strategic waterway is one of the world’s most important routes for oil and jet fuel shipments, and traffic through the region has sharply declined since the escalation of the US-Iran conflict earlier this year.
Experts warn that Europe could face a significant reduction in jet fuel supplies by September, potentially forcing airlines to reduce schedules and cancel flights.
James Noel-Beswick, head of commodities at Sparta Commodities, told The i Paper that unless tensions ease in the Middle East, airlines may have little choice but to cut flights.
“As we move into September, we may have to see more flights being cancelled to solve this,” he said.
Popular destinations for British travellers including Greece, Spain, Italy, France and Portugal could all be affected if supply shortages worsen.
Despite the concerns, airlines insist there is currently no immediate disruption to summer travel plans.
easyJet CEO Kenton Jarvis said the airline has seen “absolutely no issues with fuel supply” across Europe so far, while Ryanair has also indicated suppliers do not expect major disruption before mid-July.
Airlines UK said carriers continue to operate normally and urged passengers not to panic, stressing that flights during the peak summer season remain protected.
However, behind the scenes, Europe has already begun scrambling for alternative fuel supplies.
Imports of jet fuel from Nigeria, India and the United States have surged in recent months to offset shortages linked to disruptions in the Gulf region.
According to Sparta Commodities, Nigerian exports of jet fuel to Europe increased dramatically in March and April, while imports from the US also jumped sharply.
Still, analysts warn these measures may only temporarily stabilise the market.
Jet fuel inventories across the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) hub — Europe’s main refining and trading centre — have reportedly fallen to six-year lows, raising fears that any additional refinery outages or geopolitical escalation could rapidly trigger shortages.
Analysts at Argus Media warned that even if Europe manages to meet summer demand, fuel reserves are likely to decline significantly by the end of the year.
The uncertainty has already impacted airline booking trends, with easyJet reporting weaker advance bookings for summer travel due to concerns surrounding the Middle East conflict.
At the same time, airlines have been offering discounted fares to boost demand, although experts warn ticket prices could rise later in the year if fuel costs continue climbing.
The UK Government has said there is currently “no need to change upcoming travel plans,” but the aviation industry remains closely focused on developments in the Gulf region and the future of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
WT
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