With the peak summer travel season approaching, the European aviation sector faces a significant challenge: the potential shortage of jet fuel and a sharp rise in prices. In this context, the European Union is seriously considering emergency options to secure its supplies, with importing kerosene from the United States being a prominent option—a solution fraught with technical and regulatory complexities.
Background to the crisis: Global turmoil casts a shadow over Europe
The roots of the current crisis lie in a series of disruptions that have shaken global energy markets. Since the start of the war in Ukraine in 2012, the European Union has imposed sweeping sanctions on Russia, a major supplier of refined petroleum products to the continent. This has forced Europe to seek alternative sources, increasing transportation and logistics costs. More recently, tensions in the Middle East, particularly attacks in the Red Sea, have led to oil and fuel tankers from Asia and the Arabian Gulf rerouting around Africa via the Cape of Good Hope—a much longer and more expensive route. This has directly impacted jet fuel prices, as approximately 20% of the world's jet fuel previously passed through the Strait of Hormuz.
American kerosene: A temporary solution with different specifications
The European Commission has proposed allowing the use of the American jet fuel known as Jet A as a precautionary measure. However, this fuel is not currently approved in Europe for fundamental technical reasons, as the continent uses Jet A-1. The main difference lies in the freezing point; the European fuel freezes at -47°C, while its American counterpart freezes at -40°C. This difference may seem minor, but it is crucial for long-haul flights at high altitudes, especially over polar regions, where temperatures can plummet to dangerously low levels, posing a risk to aircraft engines. Therefore, allowing its use would require technical approval from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and logistical adjustments that could take time.
Expected impacts and European measures
Brussels repeatedly asserts that there is no current shortage of jet fuel supplies, and that the problem lies in rising costs. However, the ongoing crisis threatens flight cancellations, particularly by low-cost carriers operating on slim profit margins, which could negatively impact the tourism sector, a vital component of many European economies. To counter this risk, the Commission has announced the creation of a "fuel observatory" to closely monitor production, imports, and stockpiles. It is also considering measures to ease the burden on airlines, such as increasing flexibility in takeoff and landing schedules and relaxing rules on "tankering," a practice where aircraft fill up their tanks at cheaper airports to avoid refueling at more expensive destinations.
Towards European sovereignty in the field of energy
While importing American kerosene may be an unavoidable temporary solution, this crisis has once again highlighted the need to accelerate the transition to greater energy independence. Experts like Matteo Merlo, a specialist in air transport, believe this crisis should spur European countries to invest heavily in sustainable alternatives, particularly non-fossil sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs). The goal is not only to address climate challenges but also to achieve “energy sovereignty,” which will protect the aviation sector and the European economy from future global market volatility and geopolitical tensions.
