The German aviation industry is pressing the federal government to grant access to the NATO-built kerosene pipeline system in the event of a crisis. In a letter addressed to the Ministries of Finance, Transport, and Economy, several industry associations are demanding that strategic kerosene reserves be released.
According to reporting by “Der Spiegel”, the document, titled “Middle East Crisis: Urgent Measures to Maintain Germany’s Connectivity” warns that the major lobbying groups-including the Federation of German Air Transport-foresee worsening bottlenecks in fuel supplies that will have significant consequences for Germany. They are demanding immediate steps, specifically asking the EU to treat flight cancellations due to fuel shortages as an exceptional circumstance under the EU Flight Passenger Regulation. This would mean that passengers would not be entitled to compensation if flights were cancelled.
The confidential letter was drafted in preparation for a videoconference held between aviation representatives and state secretaries from the Ministries of Transport and Economy, concerning the intensifying energy crisis. During this meeting, the aviation representatives reported that the major oil companies could only guarantee them a supply of kerosene until mid-May. They stated that the oil managers could not predict the situation beyond that date, and they appealed to government officials to pressure the companies for clarification.
The scale of the shortages is already becoming evident: Lufthansa announced last week that due to the kerosene deficit, it would cancel approximately 20,000 short-haul flights over the coming months. Furthermore, “Der Spiegel” reported that the airline had since initiated contact with Deutsche Bahn regarding the issue.