A real threat: the fuel at European airports is running out

The Italian subsidiary of a British energy group, has begun budgeting supplies at four airports in northern Italy: Milan-Linata (LIN), Bologna (BLQ), Treviso (TSF) and Venice Marco Polo (VCE). As a result, medical and government flights, as well as commercial flights that last more than three hours, receive priority in the allocation of jet fuel over the others, in light of the limited inventory.

Although no real disruptions have been reported so far, some industry executives, such as Michael O’Leary, CEO of the Irish company Rainier, have warned that the UK is at high risk, as it receives a large part of its fuel supply from the Gulf region which is currently under blockade. He noted that they are currently prepared to cancel about 10 percent of their flights this summer if the situation does not improve.

“The fuel suppliers are constantly examining the market,” he says. “We do not anticipate disruptions until the beginning of May, but if the war continues, we risk supply disruptions in Europe in May and June, and we hope that the war will end sooner and the risk to supplies will be eliminated.”

It is currently estimated that UK jet fuel stocks could last for around five to six weeks if supplies were to stop altogether, and the fear is that we are getting close to that.