Fuel Curbs Hit Italian Airports; Venice Faces Most Strain

Fuel restrictions for flights have been introduced at the airports of Bologna, Milan Linate, Treviso and Venice.

Air BP Italia, one of the main operators, has issued a NOTAM — an aeronautical notice to airlines — informing them that fuel supplies at these four airports will be limited over the next few days, until April 9.

The company, part of British energy giant BP, said priority in refuelling will be given to air ambulances, state flights and flights lasting more than three hours. All other flights will receive fuel on a restricted basis.

At Bologna, Venice and Treviso, priority will be given to emergency, state and long-haul flights. Other aircraft will face caps of 2,000 litres per plane at Bologna and Venice, and 2,500 litres at Treviso.

Details from the NOTAM show the most critical situation is at Venice airport, the only one where pilots have been explicitly advised to refuel before arrival. At Milan Linate, restrictions are in place but no specific fuel cap has been set.

Fuel limitations are “not significant” for the airports of Venice, Treviso and Verona, operated by the Save Group, the company said. “The issue concerns only one supplier, while other providers operating at these airports supply most airlines,” the statement said. It added that there are no restrictions for intercontinental or Schengen-area flights and that operations are continuing normally without cause for alarm.

Ryanair said it does not expect fuel shortages in the short term but warned the situation remains uncertain. “At present, our suppliers can guarantee fuel availability until mid- to late May,” the airline said. “If the war in Iran ends soon, supply will not be disrupted. However, if the closure of the Strait of Hormuz continues into May or June, we cannot rule out risks to fuel supplies at some European airports.”

The airline also noted that fuel prices doubled in March and said carriers are likely to pass on higher costs through increased airfares after Easter and during the summer. “We advise passengers to book flights and holidays as soon as possible to avoid expected price increases,” Ryanair added.

According to a Bloomberg analysis, major European airlines are protected against price volatility through hedging contracts but not against physical supply shortages. Leading carriers such as Lufthansa, Ryanair and Air France typically hedge around 70% of their annual fuel needs against price rises, but these contracts do not guarantee actual fuel delivery.