Are countries really running out of jet fuel?
The Inquiry
BBC
4.6 • 1.7K Ratings
🗓️ 2 May 2026
⏱️ 24 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Global oil markets have been affected by the US Israel war with Iran, leading to higher jet fuel prices and increased attention on supply risks.
But how serious is the situation? While some experts point to tightening supply chains and regional bottlenecks, others say there is no clear evidence so far of immediate shortages.
Even so, the refining and distribution of jet fuel remains a potential vulnerability, as disruption can have notable impacts even when crude oil itself is available. With air travel crucial to trade and tourism, the resilience of fuel supply is a growing concern for economies and travellers. Can alternative suppliers and fuel sources help limit the impact of future disruption?
Contributors: Zach Aman, professor of chemical engineering, the University of Western Australia Ahmed Mehdi, senior fellow at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies and managing director at Renaissance Energy Advisors, UK Dumebi Oluwole, lead economist at Stears, Nigeria Li Qiao, professor of aeronautics and astronautics, Purdue University, US
Presenter: Rajan Datar Producer: Matt Toulson Researcher: Evie Yabsley Editor: Tom Bigwood Technical producer: Mitch Goodall
(Photo: Airline worker attaching fuel pipe to plane to refuel. Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, podcasts. |
| 0:05.7 | Welcome to The Inquiry from the BBC World Service with me, Rajan Dattar. |
| 0:10.8 | Each week we have one question, four expert witnesses and an answer. |
| 0:16.8 | Before we begin, I just want to let you know that this episode was recorded on the 30th of April. |
| 0:24.2 | Oil prices rise to their highest since the US-Israel war on Iran began. |
| 0:30.1 | You've seen the headlines, you've heard the news. |
| 0:33.3 | The global oil crisis prompted by war in the Middle East has led to warnings about jet fuel scarcity |
| 0:39.7 | and the possibility of flight cancellations and price hikes. |
| 0:44.4 | Two weeks ago, the International Energy Agency warned that Europe has maybe six weeks of jet fuel left. |
| 0:51.8 | And the bad news continues. |
| 0:55.8 | According to the International Air Transport Association's price monitor, the cost of jet fuel has risen by 130% year on year because |
| 1:03.8 | of the blockade in the Hormuz Strait. Many people are worried if they're going to be able to |
| 1:08.4 | take their holidays abroad. Some are changing their plans and staying closer to home. |
| 1:13.9 | While for many smaller economies around the world, the implications are serious. |
| 1:19.2 | Will cargo flights still be able to deliver key commodities and vital supplies? |
| 1:24.8 | But hang on one second. |
| 1:26.3 | Is it all really that bad? The European Union and many |
| 1:30.2 | governments have said, hey, don't worry. There's no evidence of actual shortages of jet fuel so far. |
| 1:37.0 | So keep calm and carry on. This week on the inquiry, we're asking, are countries really running out |
| 1:43.9 | of jet fuel? |
| 1:46.0 | Part 1. The Source. |
| 1:50.6 | The Middle East is the centre of the global oil system, and it plays a vital role in aviation fuel. |
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