Vietnam’s aviation industry is bracing for potential flight cuts beginning in April 2026 after China and Thailand halted exports of refined fuel products, squeezing a country that depends heavily on imported jet fuel and raising the risk of disruptions across domestic and regional networks.
Reuters reported that Vietnamese authorities have warned airlines to prepare for possible reductions, with the heaviest pressure likely to fall on domestic routes if supplies tighten further. The developing fuel crunch highlights how the Iran war is now rippling far beyond the Middle East, hitting airline operations in Asia through a combination of physical supply constraints and sharply higher prices.
Vietnam imports more than two-thirds of its jet fuel, according to Reuters, and roughly 60% of those imports come from China and Thailand. That leaves the country especially vulnerable after both suppliers moved to restrict outbound shipments of refined fuel.
Reuters said the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam warned in a March 9 document that there were risks of jet fuel shortages for Vietnamese carriers beginning in early April. The regulator told airlines to review their operational plans, especially on domestic routes, and asked airport operators to prepare additional parking space for Vietnamese aircraft. That detail suggests authorities are taking seriously the possibility that some aircraft could be temporarily grounded if fuel availability deteriorates.
Two of the country’s major fuel importers, Petrolimex and Skypec, reportedly told regulators they could only guarantee supply through the end of March. Reuters said Skypec urged the government to restrict air transport to essential domestic routes if the conflict drags on, underscoring how quickly the issue could move from a commercial headache to an operational crisis.
Vietnam Airlines and VietJet declined comment to Reuters, while authorities and importers did not respond to its requests for comment.
The supply squeeze stems largely from policy decisions in China and Thailand. Reuters reported that China imposed an immediate ban on March refined fuel exports, covering gasoline, diesel, and aviation fuel that had not already cleared customs. That followed an earlier directive urging refiners not to take on new export commitments as officials sought to preserve domestic supply during the wider energy shock linked to the conflict.
Thailand has also restricted exports of refined petroleum products, including jet fuel, further narrowing Vietnam’s options. Reuters said Vietnam has reached out diplomatically to both governments in search of relief. On March 15, Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung asked Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi for close coordination to help ensure energy security. Reuters also reported that Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had asked Thailand to help address the shortage during a meeting with the Thai ambassador in Vietnam.
Vietnam’s aviation authority has reportedly suggested South Korea, Japan, Brunei, and India as possible alternative sources, but it also acknowledged that finding new suppliers in the current market could be difficult. Domestic refineries are under pressure to produce other petroleum products, limiting their ability to ramp up jet fuel output quickly.
