Cutting flights will not save the world from a global oil crisis – Financial Times

A reduction in the number of flights due to a sharp rise in the cost of aviation fuel is unlikely to significantly impact the overall oil crisis, as the problem encompasses the entire petroleum products market, not just jet fuel. This was reported by the Financial Times, according to UNN.

Details

The publication notes that a number of airlines, including Lufthansa, Delta, Cathay Pacific, and Qantas, have already begun cutting flights following an almost twofold jump in aviation fuel prices. However, this does not mean a rapid decrease in the price of oil.

Analysts explain that a whole range of products is produced simultaneously from a single barrel of oil—gasoline, diesel, aviation fuel, fuel oil, petrochemical feedstocks, and other components. Because of this, refiners cannot sharply increase the output of one type of fuel while reducing another.

In fact, if the global market loses about 15% of oil and petroleum product supplies, consumption will have to be reduced by approximately the same level across all segments—not just in aviation.

The Financial Times emphasizes that airlines are the first to feel the blow due to their cost structure. For many carriers, fuel is one of the main expenditure items. For example, at Ryanair in 2025, fuel and related service costs accounted for about 35% of revenue.

At the same time, a reduction in flights alone is not enough to stabilize the market. A weakening of demand must also occur in transport, industry, logistics, and other oil-consuming sectors.

Thus, a decrease in the number of flights may only be a partial market reaction, but it is not capable on its own of quickly lowering global oil prices.

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