This phrase is an allusion to the critical importance of the Strait of Hormuz for the global economy and energy security. At the moment (April 2026), this topic is especially relevant due to the tense geopolitical situation in the Middle East.
Here is why it is said that our “rich life” depends on this waterway:
The world’s oil artery: About a fifth of all the oil consumed in the world passes through the Strait of Hormuz. Any disruption to this route causes a sharp jump in energy prices worldwide, which directly affects the prices of goods and the standard of living, most importantly the quantity and quality of food.
Current conflict: In March and April 2026, events around the strait reached their climax. US President Donald Trump is seeking to open the strait to joint control, but Iran is imposing tough conditions, demanding compensation for the damage caused by the war through transit fees (the so-called “Freedom Tax”).
Strategic vulnerability: Since the strait connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Indian Ocean, its blockade would mean a global economic crisis. According to Trump, this route is a “gift” to energy-importing countries such as China, and its stability is the foundation on which current prosperity rests.
In short, the phrase emphasizes that our modern prosperity is very fragile and directly dependent on free navigation in this narrow but strategically vital region. And we in Europe keep talking about windmills and solar energy so that our consciences don’t bother us.
“If tankers do not soon begin crossing the Strait of Hormuz, airlines in Europe may not have enough jet fuel to operate all of their flights.
The war in Iran has forced airlines to raise prices and cut flights. But soon, some of them, particularly in Europe, could struggle to find enough jet fuel to put planes in the sky.
Ryanair, the low-cost airline that dominates flying within Europe, said this week that its suppliers could guarantee it enough jet fuel only through most of May. The airline said fuel could be in short supply if ships laden with energy did not soon begin passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway on Iran’s southern coast.
“If the Iran war finishes soon, then supply will not be disrupted,” the airline said in a statement. “If the closure of the Hormuz Straits continues into May or June, then we cannot rule out risks to fuel supplies at some airports in Europe.”
Iran has effectively blocked most shipments of crude oil, jet fuel and other goods through the strait since the start of the war. After peace talks failed over the weekend, the United States imposed its own blockade to cut off Iranian exports through the strait.
Iran responded on Wednesday by threatening to disrupt trade across the region.
Europe is heavily reliant on imported jet fuel because many of its oil refineries have shut down in recent decades. Britain, the largest consumer of jet fuel in Europe, has just four refineries, down from 18 in the 1970s, according to a parliamentary report published in December.
Europe is by far the biggest consumer of jet fuel shipped through the Strait of Hormuz. Shipments through the strait account for about 41 percent of all European jet fuel imports and about 36 percent of all African jet fuel imports, according to Macquarie Group, an Australian financial services firm.
As of Tuesday, global prices of jet fuel were about 80 percent higher than before the war, according to the Platts Jet Fuel Price Index, which is published by S&P Global Energy Platts. Airlines around the world have responded by raising ticket prices and cutting flights that are not very profitable.
The Airports Council International Europe, a trade group, warned European Union officials last week that a “systemic jet fuel shortage is set to become a reality.”
In recent weeks, Europe has been relying on jet fuel shipments that left exporting countries before the war, but those deliveries have largely wound down, oil analysts said.
“The canary in the coal mine will be if European airlines start to cut schedules for the coming months,” said Benedict George, an editor at Argus Media, a news and data service focused on commodities.
But shortages could be avoided if the war ends soon or if the United States and Iran agree to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
If the war continues, airlines in wealthier countries will probably fare better because their customers will be able to pay more for limited jet fuel supplies than airline customers in poorer countries, many of them in Asia and Africa. Vietnam, for example, has struggled to buy enough jet fuel in recent weeks.
Higher prices could also prompt refiners to find ways to produce more jet fuel by making less of other fuels like diesel. But such changes would inflict more pain on other industries, like trucking, that are also hurting from high fuel prices.
“I think the chance of a disorderly loss of supply is lower than some are fearing,” said Richard Joswick, the global head of near-term oil analysis for S&P Global Energy. “But I think the prices will go up. That will lead to less consumption. People will fly less. Airlines will cut some of their schedules back.”
Airlines for Europe, a trade group, has been asking policymakers for help, including enhanced monitoring of jet fuel supplies, the lifting of certain environmental requirements and the dropping of some taxes.
“These are temporary measures to weather us through the current situation, plus more long-term planning to be prepared for the future,” Ourania Georgoutsakou, the group’s managing director, said in a statement.
So far, European airlines have managed the disruption without having to make sweeping changes. Many have long-term contracts that lock in fuel prices, and they have cut relatively few flights compared with airlines in Asia. But that could change in the coming weeks, said Abhishek Kumar, a Dubai-based oil analyst at Sparta Commodities, a data firm.
“If this goes on for another two, three weeks, everyone will feel the pain,” he said.
Summer is the busiest and most profitable season for airlines. As a result, demand for jet fuel will surely rise in the weeks ahead.
“As European markets approach the peak demand season, the loss of Middle East imports presents a severe logistical challenge,” the International Energy Agency said in a report published on Tuesday.
If Europe can’t replace more than half of the jet fuel supply it normally gets from the Middle East, shortages could materialize as soon as June, the energy agency said. If the continent can replace up to 75 percent of the missing Persian Gulf supply, disruptions would be delayed into August.
The United States is far more self-reliant, said Amanda Hilow, a jet fuel expert at Argus Media. The country produces most of its own jet fuel, though it imports some from South Korea for use on the West Coast, along with small volumes from other countries.
American refineries have increased jet fuel exports in recent weeks, much of them destined for Europe. But even if Europe received every drop of that fuel, it would replace only about half of the lost Persian Gulf supply, according to the International Energy Agency.” [1]
1. European Airlines Face Fuel Shortages Within Weeks. Chokshi, Niraj. New York Times (Online) New York Times Company. Apr 16, 2026.
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