European airports face a critical jet fuel crunch that could hamstring air travel across the region and, so, worsen the economic blow from the Iran war, an industry body has warned.

“At this stage, we understand that if the passage through the Strait of Hormuz does not resume in any significant and stable way within the next 3 weeks, (a) systemic jet fuel shortage is set to become a reality for the (European Union),” ACI Europe, which represents European airports, said in a letter dated April 9 to Dan Jorgensen and Apostolos Tzitzikostas, senior officials at the European Commission, the EU’s executive.

“The reduced air connectivity that would inevitably result… would significantly harm the European economy – thus worsening the macro-economic impact of the rise in oil prices,” reads the letter, shared with CNN.

ACI Europe said the approach of “the peak Summer season,” when increased air travel enables tourism, crucial to many EU economies, was “only adding to those concerns.”

The body called for “urgent monitoring” of jet fuel supply over the next six months, among other interventions. Its warning of a looming shortage chimes with a similar alert from the head of the International Energy Agency earlier this month.

Some Asia-Pacific airlines, including Air New Zealand and Vietnam Airlines, have begun cutting flights as prices for jet fuel have surged. America’s Delta Air Lines also said this week that it would cut the number of flights “until the fuel environment improves.”

The global average jet fuel price has more than doubled from a year ago, according to the International Air Transport Association.

Maisie Linford contributed reporting.