Middle East Airspace Diversions/Cancellations

[Happy Trails]

China cuts jet fuel to Australia amid oil crunch

Australia’s biggest provider of jet fuel has cut exports, leaving the country’s airports with an uncertain future.

au.news.yahoo.com

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

China cuts jet fuel to Australia amid oil crunch

Australia’s biggest provider of jet fuel has cut exports, leaving the country’s airports with an uncertain future.

au.news.yahoo.com

sHe'LL bE riGHt, mAtE

 

[Quickstatus]

sHe'LL bE riGHt, mAtE

The Guvment said there is no shortage.....

 

[Pushka]

Thoughts on China blocking export of Aviation fuel to Australia? Presume news.com.au is accurate.

 

[AuSammy]

Presume news.com.au is accurate.

 

[Rembrandt]

Thoughts on China blocking export of Aviation fuel to Australia? Presume news.com.au is accurate.

It's actually Yahoo AU news. China are either securing their own supply of jet fuel or it's a geopolitical game to support Iran.

 

[drcam]

Australia is close enough to China to do a return trip without refuelling? Or I could at least get to Singapore by train which is nearer?

And in my case China IS "home" for me. I am okay to just WFH from there and work on my own projects until at least the end of October without running out of dough...

 

[elanshin]

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/china-orders-immediate-ban-march-fuel-exports-sources-say-2026-03-12/

Reuters article suggests aviation fuel was not part of the ban.

Jet fuel for aviation bunkering is not included under the ban, two of the four sources said.

 

[Pushka]

It's actually Yahoo AU news. China are either securing their own supply of jet fuel or it's a geopolitical game to support Iran.

News.com.au is where I read it.

 

[jrfsp]

1973 here we come

 

[Pushka]

https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/china-orders-immediate-ban-march-fuel-exports-sources-say-2026-03-12/

Reuters article suggests aviation fuel was not part of the ban.

"The ban, issued by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), includes shipments of gasoline, diesel and aviation fuel, the sources said."

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

It's actually Yahoo AU news. China are either securing their own supply of jet fuel or it's a geopolitical game to support Iran.

Had the same thought, though suspect the former more than the latter as again, China needs Gulf state oil far more than it needs Iranian oil. Unless Iran starts actually letting oil from the Gulf states out on some vessels (they'd said they'd only target US/Israeli ships but that's not what they've done).

Australia is close enough to China to do a return trip without refuelling? Or I could at least get to Singapore by train which is nearer?

Realistically, almost always no. Most of if not all existing China-Australia routes could not operate both legs without refuelling in Australia unless they imposed massive payload restrictions, which wouldn't make commercial sense.

 

[jrfsp]

If fuel runs out there will be far far far bigger problems than planes refueling

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

If fuel runs out there will be far far far bigger problems than planes refueling

Suddenly my overflowing pantry I was mocked about by guests eating some of said food during a recent dinner party is looking less apocalyptic. Ingrates.

10% discount to AFF members when I open my in-house bodega.

 

[Pushka]

If fuel runs out there will be far far far bigger problems than planes refueling

Depends where you are in the world from home though doesn't it.

 

[jrfsp]

Depends where you are in the world from home though doesn't it.

Can the cutty sark be put back into use?

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

Depends where you are in the world from home though doesn't it.

This dragging on could and would really expose the complacency of Australia in so many ways. One need not bring politics into it, for our esteemed representatives in Canberra of all stripes have all led us to where we are. We've built a beautiful country... that we can't protect and that is dependent on the goodwill of the world being stable and leaving us alone.

My suspicion (hope?) is if it starts getting that bad, the US will either pull back and claim they've achieved enough of what they wanted to do or really go all in and start taking far more drastic measures like take over the Strait. That course make things worse, but the worse this becomes, so likely will the appetite for either de-escalation or full escalation.
---
Back to the topic as I spoke to a friend who works as crew for Qatar who said that she's personally aware of quite a few crew members who've already resigned and quit in the last few weeks given the situation and how it's been handled. Will be interesting to see where this goes.

 

[dajop]

If fuel runs out there will be far far far bigger problems than planes refueling

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.

 

[FlyingKangaroo]

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.

 

[justinbrett]

Australia is close enough to China to do a return trip without refuelling?

It’s the landing with an aircraft full of fuel for a long haul flight that’s the issue. That’s why aircraft dump fuel in an emergency.