Elevate Jet CEO Says No Fuel Shortage Exists as Airlines Cut Flights on $4 Jet Fuel
Updated
Updated · Fortune · May 14
Elevate Jet CEO Says No Fuel Shortage Exists as Airlines Cut Flights on $4 Jet Fuel
1 articles · Updated · Fortune · May 14
Greg Raiff said the industry is not running out of jet fuel, arguing recent flight cuts reflect airline economics rather than a supply collapse despite war-driven fears around the Strait of Hormuz.
Jet fuel now costs more than $4 a gallon on the open market—about double prewar levels, he said—making weaker routes unprofitable and prompting carriers to invoke force majeure while keeping airport slots.
Raiff said private aviation demand has edged higher instead of falling, even as some fixed-base operators sharply raised prices; he cited one Washington facility charging $10.42 a gallon before added fees.
He warned the tighter risk window is autumn, when refineries may have to balance jet fuel against heating oil demand if the U.S.-Iran war is still dragging on into October.
Is the jet fuel crisis a genuine shortage or a manufactured narrative driven by price-gouging and strategic airline cuts?
With corporate jet use soaring while commercial flights are cut, how is the Iran conflict reshaping air travel for everyone?
Can new AI and sustainable fuels solve aviation's crisis, or are they distractions from deeper geopolitical problems?