A global aviation fuel crisis, triggered by Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz (a critical waterway through which roughly one-fifth of the world's oil normally passes) following a U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran in February 2026, has sent jet fuel prices soaring by nearly 70 per cent, forcing airlines worldwide to cut capacity, raise fares, and ration supplies across parts of Asia and Western Europe. The crisis claimed its most prominent casualty on May 2, when Spirit Airlines — the eighth-largest U.S. carrier by seats — shut down entirely, stranding tens of thousands of passengers and leaving 17,000 staff unemployed. For Canadian travellers, the disruption is compounded by an ongoing boycott of U.S. destinations in response to President Donald Trump's tariff threats, with return trips from the U.S. already down 32 per cent compared to March 2024, pushing carriers such as Air Canada and WestJet to hastily expand domestic and alternative international routes for the summer season.