Jet fuel rationing spreads among Italian airports due to Hormuz crisis.Italy's aviation sector is grappling with a worsening jet fuel shortage that has triggered rationing measures at numerous airports, amid concern that disruption could extend into the summer travel season.The crisis is rooted in the partial blockade of the Strait of Hormuz following the US-Israel war against Iran, which has disrupted roughly 20 per cent of global oil supplies and caused fuel prices in some markets to more than double. Air BP Italia, the local subsidiary of the British energy group, began rationing supplies at four airports in northern Italy - Milan Linate, Bologna, Treviso and Venice Marco Polo - with medical, government and commercial flights of more than three hours given priority in fuel allocation. The move caps refuelling uplifts at a maximum of 2,000 litres per aircraft - less than one hour of fuel for workhorse narrow-body jets such as the Airbus A320 or Boeing 737 - and remain in force until at least Thursday 9 April. Short-haul carriers are being told to tanker additional fuel from previous legs. The rationing was introduced to ensure supplies would remain available for emergency services, with priority given to ambulance flights, state flights and services of more than three hours in duration. Airport operators had ensured that Easter travel was accommodated before the restrictions came into force. By Monday the crisis had deepened southward. Brindisi airport experienced a complete depletion of jet fuel, according to news agency ANSA, forcing aircraft to arrive with pre-positioned reserves as no fuel was available for purchase on-site. Simultaneous constraints emerged at Reggio Calabria and Pescara. At Pescara, authorities reported "only one tanker, with a capacity of 20,000 litres," while Reggio Calabria imposed a cap of 3,000 litres per aircraft. The situation at Brindisi was partly driven by airlines diverting there from the already-restricted northern airports. Italy is estimated to have about seven months of supply autonomy, but the fragility of the European supply chain is the central concern for the coming months. Ryanair has warned that although its own fuel supplies are guaranteed until the end of May, summer cancellations cannot be ruled out if the conflict in Iran continues. Last week Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary said that a quick end to hostilities and reopening of the Strait of Hormuz by mid or late April would avoid major problems, but that a prolonged closure could affect 10 to 25 per cent of fuel supplies for European carriers between May and June. On Saturday, Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni became the first EU or NATO leader to travel to the Gulf region following the onset of the crisis, meeting with leaders in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and UAE to lobby for energy security and discuss mitigation of a potential supply shock. Many airlines entered the crisis with significant fuel hedging in place, covering the bulk of their 2026 requirements at pre-crisis prices - a buffer that provides some insulation in the short term but does not address physical supply shortfalls at individual airports. Pope Leo on Tuesday said that threats against the population of Iran are "truly unacceptable" ‌after US president Donald Trump said "a whole civilization will die tonight" in a shocking social media post. Less than two hours before his Tuesday evening deadline, Trump agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran, subject to the Strait of Hormuz reopening. Iran said its military would coordinate passage through the Strait, with Pakistan set to host talks between delegations from Iran and the US in Islamabad on Friday.  

Italy's aviation sector is grappling with a worsening jet fuel shortage that has triggered rationing measures at numerous airports, amid concern that disruption could extend into the summer travel season. The crisis is rooted in the partial blockade of the Strait of Hormuz following the US-Israel war against Iran, which has disrupted roughly 20 per cent of global oil supplies and caused fuel prices in some markets to more than double. Air BP Italia, the local subsidiary of the British energy group, began rationing supplies at four airports in northern Italy - Milan Linate, Bologna, Treviso and Venice Marco Polo - with medical, government and commercial flights of more than three hours given priority in fuel allocation. The move caps refuelling uplifts at a maximum of 2,000 litres per aircraft - less than one hour of fuel for workhorse narrow-body jets such as the Airbus A320 or Boeing 737 - and remain in force until at least Thursday 9 April. Short-haul carriers are being told to tanker additional fuel from previous legs. The rationing was introduced to ensure supplies would remain available for emergency services, with priority given to ambulance flights, state flights and services of more than three hours in duration. Airport operators had ensured that Easter travel was accommodated before the restrictions came into force. By Monday the crisis had deepened southward. Brindisi airport experienced a complete depletion of jet fuel, according to news agency ANSA, forcing aircraft to arrive with pre-positioned reserves as no fuel was available for purchase on-site. Simultaneous constraints emerged at Reggio Calabria and Pescara. At Pescara, authorities reported "only one tanker, with a capacity of 20,000 litres," while Reggio Calabria imposed a cap of 3,000 litres per aircraft. The situation at Brindisi was partly driven by airlines diverting there from the already-restricted northern airports. Italy is estimated to have about seven months of supply autonomy, but the fragility of the European supply chain is the central concern for the coming months. Ryanair has warned that although its own fuel supplies are guaranteed until the end of May, summer cancellations cannot be ruled out if the conflict in Iran continues. Last week Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary said that a quick end to hostilities and reopening of the Strait of Hormuz by mid or late April would avoid major problems, but that a prolonged closure could affect 10 to 25 per cent of fuel supplies for European carriers between May and June. On Saturday, Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni became the first EU or NATO leader to travel to the Gulf region following the onset of the crisis, meeting with leaders in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and UAE to lobby for energy security and discuss mitigation of a potential supply shock. Many airlines entered the crisis with significant fuel hedging in place, covering the bulk of their 2026 requirements at pre-crisis prices - a buffer that provides some insulation in the short term but does not address physical supply shortfalls at individual airports. Pope Leo on Tuesday said that threats against the population of Iran are  ‌after US president Donald Trump said "a whole civilization will die tonight" in a shocking social media post. Less than two hours before his Tuesday evening deadline, Trump agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran, subject to the Strait of Hormuz reopening. Iran said its military would coordinate passage through the Strait, with Pakistan set to host talks between delegations from Iran and the US in Islamabad on Friday.