Trump’s Manufactured Iran War Is Grounding Flights and Skyrocketing Airfares

The reckless war with Iran engineered by the Trump administration and its allies is not just a geopolitical disaster — it is now a direct hit on everyday travelers and the airline industry. Since the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran in February, jet fuel prices in Europe have surged from about $80 per barrel to over $180, according to aviation experts and the International Air Transport Association. This spike is largely due to both Iran and the US intermittently blocking the Strait of Hormuz, a vital chokepoint for a fifth of global oil and gas shipments.

Jet fuel accounts for up to half of an airline’s operating expenses. With prices doubling, many European carriers face the very real threat of bankruptcy if they cannot hedge fuel costs effectively. Air France-KLM, Lufthansa, and Scandinavian Airlines have already responded by slashing thousands of flights and imposing hefty surcharges — with Air France-KLM adding a €100 fee on long-haul flights. Airfare across Europe has jumped 24% in the past year, squeezing travelers’ wallets and shrinking available seats.

Europe consumes around 1.6 million barrels of jet fuel daily, relying heavily on imports through the now-blocked Strait of Hormuz. Domestic production covers only part of the demand, and the International Energy Agency warns Europe has just six weeks of jet fuel reserves left. Exporters in Asia, including South Korea — the world’s top jet fuel exporter — are also restricting exports as their own crude supplies from the Middle East dwindle.

Airlines for Europe, representing 80% of European air traffic, has called on the EU to relax environmental fuel regulations and temporarily suspend carbon trading obligations to ease the crisis. Airports Council International warns that regional airports face an existential threat from the combined supply and demand shocks.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen acknowledged the staggering €27 billion increase in fossil fuel import costs in just two months of conflict. The EU is pushing for stronger coordination on fuel reserves and has launched the AccelerateEU plan to monitor and manage jet fuel stocks across member states. But experts warn that while coordination can prevent panic, it cannot create fuel where none exists.

This unfolding crisis is yet another example of how the Trump administration’s aggressive foreign policy gambits, cloaked as national security, wreak havoc far beyond the battlefield. Ordinary people pay the price — in canceled flights, soaring ticket prices, and the looming threat of a grounded airline industry. The war’s fallout is a stark reminder that reckless geopolitical adventurism has real, immediate consequences for democracy and daily life.