The Chief Executive Officer of German airline Lufthansa, Carsten Spohr, has issued a stark warning that several airports are already experiencing jet fuel shortages as tensions with Iran continue to escalate. Aviation experts now estimate that up to 85,000 flights could be grounded in a single month if the crisis is not resolved, raising serious concerns ahead of the upcoming World Cup.
This development comes just days after Nigerian singer Davido lamented that 'the world happened' to him when he was forced to miss a scheduled performance due to the unavailability of jet fuel.
Spohr revealed that one of Lufthansa's passenger planes was unable to refuel after landing in Cape Town, South Africa, last week because of fuel shortages. The aircraft had to fly 900 miles north to Namibia to fill up before returning to its original destination. He stated: 'If you cannot reach your target airport with the fuel that you've got, then you have to do refuelling stops – we are not there yet, but we are preparing for this.'
World Cup Travel Under Threat
Francois-Joseph Schichan, head of Flint Global's Geopolitics practice, warned that the fuel uncertainty could cause significant disruption for fans traveling to North America for the World Cup. He said: 'Whilst the routes to North America are most profitable for airlines and therefore least likely to be cancelled, the uncertainty for fans planning to attend the World Cup in the US, Mexico or Canada, particularly for a short trip, might put at least some of them off from travelling.'
Mass Flight Cancellations Loom
According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, airlines have already cut two million seats from May's schedules over the past two weeks. However, the worst may be yet to come. Some experts believe that 10 percent of flights could be at risk in June if the fuel crisis persists, which would result in a staggering 85,000 flight cancellations.
Paul Charles, of the travel consultancy The PC Agency, has shed light on the situation, stating that airlines have resorted to cutting flights as jet fuel supply becomes more scarce. He explained: 'Airlines are now being forced to cut flights and make difficult decisions ahead of the peak season. It is better for them to cancel flights well in advance so that passengers are less inconvenienced than a last-minute change of plan. As the Iran conflict continues, there will need to be many more cancellations as the jet fuel supply is squeezed.'
Charles added: 'I think carriers may have to look at cutting up to 10 percent of flights if the squeeze on jet fuel supplies continues. Recent UK government changes in slot rules mean that airlines don't have to fear losing their slots the more they cancel.'
He further noted that the number of cancellations depends on the market, meaning some flights and airlines will be impacted more severely than others. However, he is certain that airlines will be bracing for the 'worst-case scenario' and a sustained period of reduced fuel supplies.
Last week, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer told Britons that they might need to rethink 'where they go on holiday this year' in light of the ongoing crisis.
