Looming Jet Fuel Shortages?

I'll be in China from next week through May.
I wonder if China has enough reserves of fuel on its own.
 
I'll be in China from next week through May.
I wonder if China has enough reserves of fuel on its own.
China currently has no problems. In fact multiple chinese tankers have gone through the strait since the war has began (India also just got their first tanker through and more for them are sailing right now). The strait is not closed for everyone.
 
Only a small percentage of oil imported into China comes from Iran, while nearly half comes from other Middle Eastern countries most of which are unable to export much if anything at the moment, so China will certainly have problems, and much more so than places like the US that import far less from the region. Some countries will have it even worse (like Japan), but China certainly has a vested interest in getting the Strait reopened, and not just to get the price back down for oil overall.

This shows the origin of China's 2024 oil imports: Screenshot 2026-03-13 at 16.52.24.png
 
Elevate your business spending to first-class rewards! Sign up today with code AFF10 and process over $10,000 in business expenses within your first 30 days to unlock 10,000 Bonus PayRewards Points.
Join 30,000+ savvy business owners who:

✅ Pay suppliers who don’t accept Amex
✅ Max out credit card rewards—even on government payments
✅ Earn & transfer PayRewards Points to 10+ airline & hotel partners

Start earning today!
- Pay suppliers who don’t take Amex
- Max out credit card rewards—even on government payments
- Earn & Transfer PayRewards Points to 8+ top airline & hotel partners

AFF Supporters can remove this and all advertisements

And fuel isn't the only problem. Disruption of fertilizer supply chain (some reports suggest 1/3 of fertilizer that is shipped by sea passes through Straits of Hormuz) can also significantly disrupt food production.

Particularly awful timing as right now is exactly when the Northern Hemisphere needs it as spring arrives.
 
If fuel runs out there will be far far far bigger problems than planes refueling
Yes, not sure how China will get all of our crucial minerals and coal when we can’t dig them up.

We are already seeing air freight stuck in warehouses in Europe and told that delays of 6-8 weeks even at this stage.
 
reports coming that China is halting exports....32% of our jet fuel imports from there and suggestions other countries would follow suit

if so, expect severe rationing, complete disruption to not just international aviation activity, but also domestic....

Anyone else feeling precarious booking travel for July school holidays/winter?
 
reports coming that China is halting exports....32% of our jet fuel imports from there and suggestions other countries would follow suit

if so, expect severe rationing, complete disruption to not just international aviation activity, but also domestic....

Anyone else feeling precarious booking travel for July school holidays/winter?
There shouldn’t be any issue booking the travel. I just might not book non-refundable hotels and ancillaries.

If you go you go, if you can’t, you can’t. No loss if you ‘self insure’ with refundable hotel bookings.

If you see a good fare now, book it.
 
Just because we have previously sourced fuel from a country does not mean it’s the only supply, just the cheapest. In fact China is a very small supplier by comparison to the US as far as exports go, with the US and India able to fill any void we have after domestic production.
 
Last edited:
I'll be in China from next week through May.
I wonder if China has enough reserves of fuel on its own.
China has 3-4 months supply (of oil) according to some news sites - Bloomberg. Reuters. They bought up big when the price was apparently low in the last few months.
 
We take it all for granted
Until we don’t

As frequent flyers are we willing to make do with less ?
Airlines could put 100% occupancy on planes instead of 75%
 
QF has significant financial commitments due in the coming years. A year or two of deflated earnings (oil aftermath) if it drags on won’t be kind.
 

Become an AFF member!

Join Australian Frequent Flyer (AFF) for free and unlock insider tips, exclusive deals, and global meetups with 65,000+ frequent flyers.

AFF members can also access our Frequent Flyer Training courses, and upgrade to Fast-track your way to expert traveller status and unlock even more exclusive discounts!

AFF forum abbreviations

Wondering about Y, J or any of the other abbreviations used on our forum?

Check out our guide to common AFF acronyms & abbreviations.
Back
Top