Easter holiday long-haul flights at risk as airlines are warned of jet fuel shortages
by Olivia Allhusen, Foreign News Reporter
Airlines have been warned that long-haul Easter holiday flights are at risk of disruption within weeks as Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz threatens global jet fuel supplies.
Oil traders say supplies could begin tightening as early as next month as the key shipping route remains closed, with reserves rapidly being depleted.
Vietnam has already warned of possible flight cancellations from April, becoming the first country to sound the alarm after China and Thailand halted fuel exports to protect their own supplies.
Other nations are expected to follow in the coming days, with industry experts warning airlines may be forced to cut some long-haul routes because they cannot guarantee enough fuel for return journeys.
Britain is also vulnerable to disruption if the conflict drags on, as the majority of its imported jet fuel comes from Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, all reliant on the Gulf route.