European Commission spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen told the daily Brussels briefing that the duration of the jet fuel supply crunch cannot be predicted. Itkonen said that since the onset of the crisis EU member states have been coordinating weekly, and a fresh Oil Coordination Group meeting will be held this week. The statement is the most recent official-level status update on a European energy crisis deepened by disrupted shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
Itkonen conceded that the EU has no standard process for collecting data on oil-product inventories and stressed the lack of transparency across different actors. The Commission knows the strategic stock levels of member states but depends on voluntary information from airlines and other industry players on commercial stocks. Coordination with the International Energy Agency (IEA) and industry is described as providing "additional transparency." A new jet fuel guidance for airlines will be issued this week.
In Europe, jet fuel prices have more than doubled year-on-year. EU refineries normally meet about 70% of the bloc's jet fuel consumption; the remainder is imported from the Middle East and the Gulf. The disruption of Hormuz transit hits the imported share directly. IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol warned last month that Europe could face jet fuel shortages within a short window.
Industry responses have hardened. KLM has cancelled 160 intra-European flights this month. Lufthansa is shutting down its CityLine subsidiary's operations and has announced 20,000 short-haul cancellations through October. Ryanair, EasyJet and tour operator TUI have cut their year-end forecasts. The cumulative effect is steering European aviation toward a structural capacity contraction in the second half of 2026.
The Commission's posture remains hands-off for now: access to strategic stocks and to private supply contracts is outside its mandate. Itkonen's remarks indicate that, despite the AccelerateEU call and Ryanair's O'Leary $150/barrel warning, a bloc-wide financial relief package is still not on the table. The upcoming Oil Coordination Group meeting will shape the near-term deliverables.
Key Takeaways:
1. EU Commission spokesperson Itkonen says the duration of the jet fuel crisis cannot be predicted.
2. The Oil Coordination Group meets this week; jet fuel guidance for airlines will be issued.
3. EU refineries normally cover 70% of jet fuel demand; the rest is imported from Middle East and Gulf.
4. European jet fuel prices have more than doubled year-on-year; KLM cut 160 flights, Lufthansa 20,000.
5. Commission has no mandate over strategic stocks or private contracts; no bloc-wide relief package yet.
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