Italy Faces Air Fuel Rationing as Short-Haul Passengers Are Left Exposed

BP has reportedly begun rationing aviation fuel in Italy, with the first impact expected to fall on short-haul passengers rather than on protected categories of flights.

According to information circulating in the aviation sector, priority is being given to medical flights, government flights, and flights lasting more than three hours. This means that ordinary travellers using domestic and short European routes may soon face delays, reduced frequencies, or cancellations.

The airports most exposed are understood to be Bologna, Milano Linate, Venice, and Treviso — all key hubs for short-haul and regional traffic.

While emergency medical flights must come first, the decision to also shield government travel and longer flights raises obvious questions. Once again, when supply tightens, it is the public who are expected to absorb the disruption while official and priority travel remains protected.

If the restrictions continue, the consequences will be quickly felt: fewer flights, higher fares, and greater pressure on alternative transport. What is being presented as a temporary operational measure may soon become a clear example of how, in times of scarcity, the inconvenience is passed down to the travelling public first.