Fuel Restrictions Hit Four Italian Airports Amid Middle East Supply Crisis
Air Bp Italia has triggered immediate fuel restrictions at four major Italian airports—Bologna, Milan Linate, Treviso, and Venice—as geopolitical instability in the Middle East disrupts global oil supplies. The measures, announced via an aeronautical bulletin (Notam), are scheduled to remain in effect until April 9, 2026.
The supply constraints are a direct result of the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for crude oil exports from Gulf nations. This disruption has contributed to Brent crude prices remaining above $100 per barrel, highlighting the extreme volatility currently impacting the aviation energy sector.
To manage limited inventories, Air Bp Italia, a subsidiary of the British energy giant BP, has established a strict refueling priority hierarchy. Top priority is being granted to state flights, ambulance flights, and long-haul routes with a duration exceeding three hours.
For all other flight operations, the company has implemented a quota-based distribution system. Aircraft operating out of Bologna and Venice are limited to 2,000 liters of fuel, while those in Treviso are capped at 2,500 liters. While restrictions are also in place at Milan Linate, no specific quantitative ceiling has been disclosed for that location.
The situation appears most critical at Venice airport. According to the Notam, We see the only facility where pilots have been explicitly recommended to refuel their aircraft before arriving at the airport to avoid operational disruptions.
The industry is closely monitoring the duration of the regional conflict to determine if these short-term restrictions will evolve into a broader crisis. Ryanair, one of Europe’s largest low-cost carriers, stated that it does not anticipate short-term shortages, noting that current suppliers can guarantee fuel deliveries through mid-to-late May 2026.
However, the airline warned that the outlook depends heavily on the resolution of the conflict in Iran. While a swift conclusion would stabilize supplies, Ryanair noted that if the closure of the Strait of Hormuz persists into May or June, there are potential risks to fuel supplies across several European airports.
