European airport operators have warned that if the Strait of Hormuz is not fully reopened within three weeks, airports across Europe will face a "systemic" shortage of aviation fuel, which will seriously hamper air travel convenience and bring about economic shocks.
The 'Airports Council International Europe', whose member airports handle over 95% of Europe’s commercial air traffic, said that as aviation fuel reserves are falling, "military activity disrupting supply and demand" is making the problem worse.
According to a letter obtained by the UK’s "Financial Times", Airports Council International Europe warned EU Commissioner for Transport Adina Vălean that the airport industry is increasingly worried about an aviation fuel supply cut-off, stressing that the EU needs to actively monitor and take action.
The letter states: "If passage through the Strait of Hormuz cannot be significantly and stably restored in the next three weeks, a systemic aviation fuel shortage in the EU will become a reality." It also pointed out that with the summer tourism peak approaching, many EU economies rely on air travel to support their entire tourism ecosystem.
The Airports Council International Europe continued in the letter: "Supply tightening will seriously disrupt airport operations and air travel convenience. If a systemic shortage of aviation fuel emerges, it will bring a severe economic shock to all of Europe." The association called for supply monitoring across the EU and industry coordination in response.
Some Asian countries, such as Vietnam, have already started rationing aviation fuel due to supply shortfalls; while Europe has not yet seen widespread shortages, fuel prices have already doubled, and airlines are warning that flight cancellations may become increasingly frequent.
A systemic shortage means the problem is no longer just high prices, but may extend to "money can’t buy fuel". If that happens, large-scale flight cancellations will occur at airports, air traffic will drop sharply and the economy will take a hit. (News source: Central News Agency)