European airline industry bodies are sounding alarms that a sustained closure of the Strait of Hormuz could trigger fuel shortages within three weeks. Energy experts simultaneously warn that allowing Iran to impose a "toll" on transit would create cascading price shocks and geopolitical leverage.
Oil and refined product prices face upward pressure; jet fuel costs could spike 15-25% if the strait remains blocked. Airlines with high exposure to European routes face margin compression, while energy majors benefit from price appreciation but face demand destruction risk if supply chains fracture.
A prolonged closure would expose the fragility of global energy logistics and validate decades of strategic concern about chokepoint vulnerability. It also strengthens Iran's negotiating position in any U.S.-led dialogue, as economic pain becomes a lever for concessions.