- Aeroitalia has said it will withdraw from subsidised territorial continuity routes serving Sardinia from 2027
- The decision raises questions about fixed-price connections between the island and Rome and Milan
- Aeroitalia cited high aviation fuel costs
- The regional government has not delivered around €20m in pledged support
- Ryanair has also reduced winter capacity at Alghero and Olbia
Aeroitalia has said it will withdraw from subsidised territorial continuity routes serving Sardinia from 2027 because of high aviation fuel costs. The decision raises questions about future fixed-price connections between the island and Rome and Milan. Chief Executive Gaetano Intrieri announced that the airline aims to stop operating its five subsidised routes connecting Cagliari, Olbia and Alghero to Rome Fiumicino and Milan Linate as early as January 2027.
The carrier points to soaring aviation fuel costs and claims that regional fuel-cost refunds and compensations have been delayed or insufficient. When contract terms were set, aviation fuel was expected to cost around €630 per tonne, but actual costs have averaged €1,460 per tonne. While the Sardinian regional government set aside €10m to help offset fuel costs, delays in distributing funds have aggravated the airline’s management. Aeroitalia unilaterally scaled back its Olbia-Rome route to three daily frequencies instead of the required four.
The Sardinian regional government maintains that under tender rules, the carrier must provide at least six months’ notice, legally binding them to guarantee connections until May 2027. Ryanair has also announced sharp reductions in its winter schedule, cutting flight capacities in Alghero by 15pc and Olbia by 50pc, attributing the cuts to the Sardinian government’s failure to abolish the municipal airport tax year-round. Mainstream international flights operated by carriers like easyJet, Lufthansa and Wizz Air remain active and unaffected by the public-subsidy dispute.
