Why airborne early warning mattered more than carrier tanking in 1982

Did the lack of carrier-based tanking hurt British forces in the Falklands as much as the lack of airborne early warning?

No; tanking would have helped, but airborne early warning was the far more consequential missing capability.

The British carriers operated close enough to the combat area that Sea Harrier patrols and strike sorties did not depend on long loiter times. Tanking would still have extended flexibility and endurance, but it was not the dominant missing system. Airborne early warning would have provided earlier detection and a wider picture of incoming attacks. The answer distinguishes a useful range enhancement from the surveillance capability most directly tied to fleet defence.