Fuel Supply Crisis: ITA Airways CEO: Worst Case Scenario is Grounding Flights
Amidst soaring fuel prices due to the US-Iran conflict, ITA Airways CEO stated that while flights are currently maintained and new routes to Asia and South America are being explored, the company has assessed that grounding flights is a worst-case scenario if the fuel crisis persists until 2027.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 6, 2026 at 08:41
- 🔍 Collected: May 6, 2026 at 09:01 (20 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 6, 2026 at 09:04 (2 min after Collected)
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You are a Japanese business intelligence AI. Thoroughly analyze the following press release and simultaneously translate it into English (en) and Traditional Chinese (zh).
## Press Release Information
Title: Fuel Supply Crisis: ITA Airways CEO: Worst Case Scenario is Grounding Flights
Subtitle:
Company Name:
Industry:
Body (first 8000 characters):
US-Iran War Key News
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Huang Ya-shih, Rome, 5th exclusive report) The US-Iran conflict has caused fuel prices to soar, with the aviation industry bearing the brunt. ITA Airways CEO Joerg Eberhart stated today that current flights remain unchanged, and the company is considering opening new routes to Asia and South America to seize business opportunities. However, he also admitted that if the fuel crisis continues, the company has assessed that "the worst-case scenario is grounding flights."
ITA is Italy's flagship airline, formerly the state-owned Alitalia, now jointly operated by the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance (59% stake) and Lufthansa (41% stake).
Joerg Eberhart took over as ITA CEO in January 2025. He previously served as a Lufthansa pilot and held various senior management positions within the group.
Eberhart had lunch with several foreign media reporters, including the Central News Agency, today. He expressed deep honor that ITA was once again designated by the Vatican to provide special flights for the Pope. When asked, "Is there enough fuel for the Pope to continue his visits?" Eberhart replied, "There will definitely be enough for the Pope, but other situations need to be assessed."
The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has triggered a global fuel supply crisis, severely impacting the aviation industry. Several European airlines, including Air France and Lufthansa, have announced the cancellation of numerous flights, and US low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines recently ceased operations.
However, ITA currently maintains its original flight schedule and plans to open new routes as the market reorganizes. Eberhart stated, "We are observing opportunities to expand direct flights to Asia, as many people are now avoiding transit in the Middle East, and we are paying attention to these interesting shifts in passenger flow." ITA recently launched its first direct flight from Rome to Houston, USA, and is considering adding flights to Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, this year.
Based on his long experience with the Lufthansa Group, Eberhart believes that ITA can specialize in South American routes by leveraging Italy's geographical advantages. He stated that the company has conducted professional research in this direction and is very interested in expanding routes to Santiago, the capital of Chile, and Lima, the capital of Peru.
Corriere della Sera recently reported that the EU warned that aviation fuel reserves are rapidly depleting, and some analysts pessimistically predict that they could run out by September this year. If the Middle East situation does not ease, thousands of flights could be forced to cancel during the peak summer season.
When asked about the impact of rising fuel prices on operating costs, Eberhart said that it varies among airlines and routes. Some companies without fuel insurance or subsidy policies must immediately cancel flights in response. "Currently, all airlines are trying to compensate for fuel costs through price increases. Fuel accounts for about 30% of costs, so if fuel prices simply double, airfares would likely need to increase by about 30%."
Eberhart stated that ITA has sufficient fuel price subsidies until the end of this year, so ticket price increases can be maintained at 5% to 10% this year, but this is only for 2026. "As managers, we need to formulate a worst-case scenario response plan, which is to ground flights as a last resort, similar to the pandemic period."
Eberhart said that the worst-case scenario is that fuel prices remain high until 2027, and when the crisis spreads globally, causing a worldwide economic recession, demand may drop significantly. "If flights and passenger demand decrease, the only way is to ground planes, and at that time, every company will seek state aid." (Editor: Chang Chih-hsuan) 1150506
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship you make is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency "First-hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.
The text, images, and audio/video on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or utilized without authorization.
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You are a Japanese business intelligence AI. Thoroughly analyze the following press release and simultaneously translate it into English (en) and Traditional Chinese (zh).
## Press Release Information
Title: Fuel Supply Crisis: ITA Airways CEO: Worst Case Scenario is Grounding Flights
Subtitle:
Company Name:
Industry:
Body (first 8000 characters):
US-Iran War Key News
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Huang Ya-shih, Rome, 5th exclusive report) The US-Iran conflict has caused fuel prices to soar, with the aviation industry bearing the brunt. ITA Airways CEO Joerg Eberhart stated today that current flights remain unchanged, and the company is considering opening new routes to Asia and South America to seize business opportunities. However, he also admitted that if the fuel crisis continues, the company has assessed that "the worst-case scenario is grounding flights."
ITA is Italy's flagship airline, formerly the state-owned Alitalia, now jointly operated by the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance (59% stake) and Lufthansa (41% stake).
Joerg Eberhart took over as ITA CEO in January 2025. He previously served as a Lufthansa pilot and held various senior management positions within the group.
Eberhart had lunch with several foreign media reporters, including the Central News Agency, today. He expressed deep honor that ITA was once again designated by the Vatican to provide special flights for the Pope. When asked, "Is there enough fuel for the Pope to continue his visits?" Eberhart replied, "There will definitely be enough for the Pope, but other situations need to be assessed."
The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has triggered a global fuel supply crisis, severely impacting the aviation industry. Several European airlines, including Air France and Lufthansa, have announced the cancellation of numerous flights, and US low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines recently ceased operations.
However, ITA currently maintains its original flight schedule and plans to open new routes as the market reorganizes. Eberhart stated, "We are observing opportunities to expand direct flights to Asia, as many people are now avoiding transit in the Middle East, and we are paying attention to these interesting shifts in passenger flow." ITA recently launched its first direct flight from Rome to Houston, USA, and is considering adding flights to Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, this year.
Based on his long experience with the Lufthansa Group, Eberhart believes that ITA can specialize in South American routes by leveraging Italy's geographical advantages. He stated that the company has conducted professional research in this direction and is very interested in expanding routes to Santiago, the capital of Chile, and Lima, the capital of Peru.
Corriere della Sera recently reported that the EU warned that aviation fuel reserves are rapidly depleting, and some analysts pessimistically predict that they could run out by September this year. If the Middle East situation does not ease, thousands of flights could be forced to cancel during the peak summer season.
When asked about the impact of rising fuel prices on operating costs, Eberhart said that it varies among airlines and routes. Some companies without fuel insurance or subsidy policies must immediately cancel flights in response. "Currently, all airlines are trying to compensate for fuel costs through price increases. Fuel accounts for about 30% of costs, so if fuel prices simply double, airfares would likely need to increase by about 30%."
Eberhart stated that ITA has sufficient fuel price subsidies until the end of this year, so ticket price increases can be maintained at 5% to 10% this year, but this is only for 2026. "As managers, we need to formulate a worst-case scenario response plan, which is to ground flights as a last resort, similar to the pandemic period."
Eberhart said that the worst-case scenario is that fuel prices remain high until 2027, and when the crisis spreads globally, causing a worldwide economic recession, demand may drop significantly. "If flights and passenger demand decrease, the only way is to ground planes, and at that time, every company will seek state aid." (Editor: Chang Chih-hsuan) 1150506
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship you make is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency "First-hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.
The text, images, and audio/video on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or utilized without authorization.
Keywords: