Vietnam warns of April flight reductions as jet fuel shortage fears deepen

2026.03.17 00:50 Vietnam faces potential flight cuts from April due to jet fuel shortages. Photo: EPA Vietnamese authorities have warned the country’s aviation industry to prepare for potential flight reductions from April after China and Thailand halted exports of jet fuel due to the Iran war, increasing the likelihood of shortages. Vietnam imports more than two-thirds of its jet fuel needs, with 60 per cent coming from China and Thailand, according to documents from the ‌aviation regulator and importers seen by Reuters. “There are risks of jet fuel shortages for Vietnamese airlines from the beginning of April and the following months,” the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam said in a March 9 document sent to the ministry in charge of transport. It said airlines should review their plans, especially for domestic routes, and instructed airport operators to prepare additional parking space for Vietnamese carriers. Vietnam has also seen reduced supplies from Singapore, the document showed. In separate documents, major importers Petrolimex and Skypec said they could only guarantee jet fuel supplies for March. Skypec urged the regulator ⁠to restrict air transport to essential domestic routes if the conflict drags on. All documents were issued after China urged its refiners not to agree to new exports ‌early this month but preceded a hard ban on refined fuel exports from March 11. Thailand banned exports of refined oil products, including jet fuel, on March 6 to all countries except Myanmar and Laos. The regulator, the ministry and the two importers ‌did not respond to requests for comment. Vietnam’s top airlines Vietnam Airlines and VietJet declined to comment. Vietnam was the third-largest buyer ⁠of aviation kerosene from China last year ⁠after Australia and Japan, according to Chinese customs data. The Southeast Asian country has taken up the issue with both China, its main supplier, and Thailand. On Sunday, Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung asked his ‌Chinese counterpa

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