Europe has 'six weeks' of jet fuel left with mass flight cancellations coming 'soon'

Europe has 'six weeks' of jet fuel left with mass flight cancellations coming 'soon'International Energy Agency head Fatih Birol says the world faces 'the largest energy crisis we have ever faced,' stemming from the Strait of Hormuz blockadeCommentsNewsTim Hanlon News Reporter13:58, 16 Apr 2026Updated 14:08, 16 Apr 2026View ImageEurope has only a few weeks left of jet fuel says head of International Energy Agency(Image: Olivier Hoslet/EPA/Shutterstock)Europe faces a major crisis with flight cancellations as airlines have “maybe six weeks or so (of) jet fuel left,” says the head of the International Energy Agency.‌IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol painted a sobering picture of the global repercussions of what he called “the largest energy crisis we have ever faced,” stemming from the pinch-off of oil, gas and other vital supplies through the Strait of Hormuz.‌“In the past there was a group called ‘Dire Straits.’ It’s a dire strait now, and it is going to have major implications for the global economy. And the longer it goes, the worse it will be for the economic growth and inflation around the world,” he said.‌READ MORE: Tesco boss issues food cost warning as Iran war 'creating uncertainty' for BritsREAD MORE: The 19 safest places in UK if war breaks out after Russia issues strike threatThe impact will be “higher petrol (gasoline) prices, higher gas prices, high electricity prices,” said Birol, speaking in his Paris office looking out over the Eiffel Tower.Economic pain will be felt unevenly and “the countries who will suffer the most will not be those whose voice are heard a lot. It will be mainly the developing countries. Poorer countries in Asia, in Africa and in Latin America,” said the Turkish economist and energy expert who has led the IEA since 2015.‌But without a settlement of the Iran war that permanently reopens the Strait of Hormuz, “Everybody is going to suffer,” he added. “Some countries may be richer than the oth...