As the 2026 Middle East War disrupts supplies, the Airlines Association of Southern Africa warns of potential jet fuel shortages beyond May. Regional prices have surged from R8.50 per liter in February to over R30 by mid-April, leading to temporary fuel surcharges on new bookings.
The Airlines Association of Southern Africa has highlighted ongoing uncertainty from the 2026 US-Israel-Iran conflict, which threatens jet fuel availability for the region beyond May.
Current stocks are expected to last through May, with some suppliers mentioning June, but no firm commitments exist afterward. Association spokesperson Linden Birns emphasized airlines' planning challenges: "We know there’s sufficient fuel at the moment to see us through May. Some of the suppliers are talking about June, but we don’t have clarity beyond that and the whole point is, how do you plan as an airline? How do you plan your schedule? How do you maintain your operations in a vacuum without that sort of knowledge?"
Airlines typically secure fuel six months ahead, while airports like O.R. Tambo maintain about five days' reserves. Birns announced upcoming meetings with suppliers and airline groups, warning passengers of higher ticket prices and potential route cuts. The association called for fuel-saving measures across the sector, including reduced congestion and better airspace management—idling engines on a 180-seater cost R2000 per minute.
