“Until June, we foresee absolutely no problems”: Air France plans to find kerosene, despite the war in Iran

Despite the war in Iran and the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, Air France-KLM plans to find kerosene without “any problem” in May, even if two Asian airports have asked it not to add flights, the group said on Thursday April 30.

“Until June we expect absolutely no problems,” said CFO Steven Zaat during a conference call to mark the Franco-Dutch carrier’s first quarter results.

“In the Netherlands we are a net exporter,” continued this Dutch manager. “The Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure has said that at least for the next six months (…) there will be enough aviation fuel.”

“We still have strategic stocks in Europe”

Furthermore, the group’s largest platform, Paris Charles de Gaulle, he recalled, is connected to the Le Havre oil terminal by an oil pipeline.

“We also still have strategic stocks in Europe, which could be released to help us. And what could also help us enormously would be if we could get the same permission for fuel used in the United States, he explained.

The European Union is considering authorizing the import of Jet A type kerosene, produced in the United States, different from the Jet A-1 distributed in the rest of the world. But this proposal faces technical, regulatory and political obstacles.

Managing Director Benjamin Smith also indicated that two Asian airports, more dependent on exports from Gulf countries, had advised him not to increase frequencies as long as the war in the Middle East lasted.

“Singapore and Haneda (Tokyo) have said they would prefer not to receive additional capacity. It’s not a firm no, but it’s a request to avoid demanding more capacity for our flights,” he revealed.