Italy Airport Fuel Restrictions & Flight Disruptions
Fuel Supply Alerts and Aviation Operation Restrictions
The first warning of a general fuel shortage that could ground many planes this summer or just a contingent episode linked to the intense traffic at Easter.
The communication released on Saturday by Air BP Italia to airlines , regarding limitations on refueling at four airports (Bologna, Milan Linate, Treviso and Venice ), has nevertheless raised the alarm in an increasingly complex scenario where the war in the Middle East continues to block the Strait of Hormuz to the majority of oil traffic.
Priority for refueling, the company, part of the British giant BP, explained, will be given to ambulance flights, state flights, and flights lasting more than three hours. For other flights, distribution will be limited at least until April 9th. ENAC President Pierluigi Di Palma is trying to allay immediate fears. The fuel supply difficulties, he told ANSA, “are linked to the Easter period of heavy traffic, not the Hormuz blockade.” “If the conflict continues, there will be consequences,” he acknowledged. “But for now, I see diplomacy at work.”
The Save group, which manages the Venice, Treviso, and Verona airports, also notes that fuel restrictions are “not significant.” The problem concerns “only one supplier, and there are others at the group’s airports that supply most of the airlines.” The situation is normal, with supplies maintained at the Perugia and Apulian airports.
But since the outbreak of the conflict, and as it became clear that military operations would drag on, the market began to calculate the effects on air travel, which would impact stock prices. For Ryanair, “there are no short-term fuel shortages, but the situation is evolving. Currently, our suppliers can guarantee fuel until mid-to-late May.” In short, “if the war were to end soon, supplies would not be interrupted. If, however, it were to drag on until May or June, we cannot rule out risks to fuel supplies at some European airports,” the Irish airline warns. Lufthansa also warned that problems are occurring at some Asian airports, and everything will depend on the timing of the conflict. According to the latest data from IATA (the International Air Transport Association), Europe imports 30% of its jet fuel needs, and the closure of some refineries on the continent in recent years has widened the deficit. Major companies hedge against excessive price increases for 70% of their needs using derivative financial instruments, but these contracts do not provide for physical delivery and therefore do not solve the problem of product shortages. Although most Gulf crude is destined for Asia and the United States, deliveries around the world are increasing, and supply-side impacts for Europe are inevitable.
The upcoming summer season is at stake. Ticket prices could rise further, and flights are at risk of cancellation or rescheduling. Operators recommend purchasing insurance, but this further increases costs for consumers. According to RimborsoAlVolo, a company specializing in air travel and passenger assistance, “any flight restrictions due to fuel shortages would fall under the category of exceptional circumstances beyond the airline’s control, thereby invalidating passengers’ right to compensation of up to €600, as provided for by EU law in the event of flight cancellation.”
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