Ryanair has issued a stark warning that the UK is the most susceptible European country to jet fuel shortages. Michael O’Leary, the budget airline’s chief executive, highlighted Britain’s heavy dependence on Kuwait for roughly 25% of its jet fuel supply amid ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East involving Israel, Iran, and the USA.
“Among European countries, the UK is currently the most vulnerable because of the market share Kuwait holds here,” O’Leary explained. “Even if there is an abundance of jet A-1 fuel in the Middle East, the challenge remains in transporting it to Europe, and we have no clear timeline on how or when that will be resolved.”
The fuel supply concern comes as Ryanair operates flights from hubs including Birmingham, competing with carriers like Jet2 and EasyJet. O’Leary cautioned that no assurances have been received regarding jet fuel availability for the peak summer months.
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“If there is a shortage of 10% to 20% of fuel supply in June, July, or August, all airlines—including Ryanair—would be forced to consider canceling flights or reducing capacity,” he said.
O’Leary also criticized recent increases in the UK’s Air Passenger Duty (APD), arguing it further hampers competitiveness in air travel compared to countries like Sweden, Hungary, Slovakia, and parts of Italy, which have cut environmental taxes to stimulate tourism, traffic, and job growth.
Representatives from Airlines for Europe (A4E) echoed concerns, warning that Europe risks losing ground to non-EU airlines and hubs that do not face similar regulatory burdens. They emphasized the difficult choice between expanding connectivity or implementing route cutbacks.
Additionally, recent widespread airspace shutdowns in the Middle East highlight the critical role of EU airlines and hubs in maintaining global connectivity and underline the region’s transportation resilience challenges.