IATA: Middle East conflict exposes 'deep vulnerabilities' in jet fuel security

IATA Economics reported (06-Mar-2026) the conflict in the Middle East has severely disrupted global energy flows and exposed "deep vulnerabilities" in jet fuel security. Details include:

• Europe is among the most exposed regions, with 25% to 30% of its jet fuel demand originating from the Persian Gulf. IATA stated: "Jet fuel security in Europe is largely reliant on commercial inventories that typically amount to just over one month of demand";
• Potential alternative suppliers such as India and China also face constraints, as 84% of crude passing through the Strait of Hormuz is destined for Asian markets, limiting global availability of crude oil needed for jet fuel refining. IATA noted that rising war risk premiums and long rerouting via the Cape of Good Hope are further increasing costs and extending delivery times.

IATA commented: "This crisis underscores the urgent need to strengthen jet fuel resilience through dedicated strategic reserves, diversified sourcing, and closer coordination between governments, airlines, and refiners. The aviation industry, unable to substitute jet fuel at scale, remains at the sharpest edge of the disruption, making policy intervention essential. In the longer term, accelerating sustainable aviation fuel development and reinforcing supply chain redundancy will be critical to reducing exposure to shocks of this magnitude". [more - original PR]