Four major airports in Italy are facing “limited” fuel supplies amid growing concerns the Iran war could cause chaos to commercial aviation. Jet fuel restrictions have been introduced at the Bologna, Treviso and Venice airports, while Milan Linate — one of three airports that serve Italy’s financial capital — could also face measures.
Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) advisories issued to airlines on Saturday reportedly by supplier Air BP Italia — a subsidiary of British oil giant BP — warned of reduced jet fuel availability at the airports until Thursday. The notices said in Treviso, Bologna and Venice, priority will be given to medical, state and flights longer than three hours. For non-priority flights, a maximum fuel allowance of 2,000 litres per aircraft will apply, it noted.
For commercial airlines, this alone wouldn’t cover an hour of a scheduled flight, local reports say.
The notice for Venice added: “Pilots are requested to compute enough fuel quantity from previous airport for next flight legs.”
The advisory for Milan Linate stopped short of this, warning of just potential restrictions.
It said: “Due to limited fuel availability from Air BP Italia, refueling services for operators contractually linked to Air BP Italia may be subject to restrictions.”
It comes days after Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary warned jet fuel supplies could be disrupted in May and June if the Iran war continued.
However, the head of Italy’s civil aviation authority ENAC, Pierluigi Di Palma, told Italian news agency ANSA the limited fuel supplies at the four airports are “linked to the Easter period of heavy traffic, not the Hormuz blockade”.
Pierluigi Di Palma added: « If the conflict continues, there will be consequences. But for now, I see diplomacy at work. »
Italian airport operator Save SpA, which manages airports including Venice and Treviso, told local media that the fuel restrictions are “not significant”, adding it relates to “only one supplier, and there are others at the group’s airports that supply most of the airlines”.
Danilo Recine, vice president of Italy’s pilot union ANPAC, said he didn’t believe there would be cancellations from Bologna, Treviso, Venice and Milan Linate over the Easter weekend.
But speaking to Sky TG24, he said “the problem will become a reality” if Iran does not end its effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
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