The increase is unstoppable, as for other fuels: the price of jet fuel, that is the fuel used in the world of aviation, has grown by almost 90% in one year. And the rise in prices now threatens territorial continuity. The bridge notice for the management of the connections from 15 May to 30 September is still on the high seas. No company has officially come forward. There is no shortage of perplexities, and they are linked precisely to costs. This time in the summer months there is no economic compensation from the Region. The accounts will have to balance themselves. It won't be easy. Also because in addition to the surge in fuel in recent days, another detail has been added not just recently.
The decision
At the end of February, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Mobility updated the tariffs for air territorial continuity. A procedure scheduled before the start of each aeronautical season (the summer one will start on March 27). The good news is that no increases are expected, on the contrary: the maximum ticket prices will drop. Three euros in the connections between the island and Rome (36 euros plus taxes against the current 39 euros) and four euros in those to Milan (43 euros plus taxes against 47 euros). The calculation, somewhat in reverse, takes into account the inflation trend of the last year and the half-yearly average of the fuel price. But the numbers used are a few months old and have not been adjusted to the latest price increases linked to the war in Ukraine. The Region had to take note of the decree of the Directorate General for the airports of the Ministry, and published the new tariffs. On which airlines will now prepare their business plans. It goes without saying that the novelty has complicated the road to assignment of the service, which is already quite uphill. Neither Volotea nor Ita presented the expression of interest to manage the Sardinian routes. And they don't necessarily have to do it quickly.
The procedure
In fact, last week the European Commission officials turned up their noses at the hypothesis - proposed by the Italian Representation in Brussels at the request of the Ministry and the Region - of bringing the terms of the call forward to 15 March. And so the Department of Transport in the communications relating to the announcement - published a few days ago - clarified that the acceptance of the service charges "must be submitted by 14 May 2022 at the latest". In short: there is a real risk of arriving within hours of the deadline without knowing which company (or which companies) will take off from the Sardinian airports, with all conceivable consequences for passengers and for the tourist industry.
Optimism
A scenario that the councilor Giorgio Todde does not even want to consider for now: "We hope to close the case in advance of the deadline, even if it is probable that the increases in fuel costs have affected the choices of the carriers". it is another question. If more carriers were presented for a single route, the situation would become even more complicated. "In the case of multiple acceptances on the same route, it is up to the carriers concerned to find, if necessary, an agreement between them", specifies the councilor, "the Region, therefore, will not adopt any division criteria but will issue the authorization in chronological order. for the allocation and authorization of slots by the competent bodies ".
In short: it will be the managers of the companies who will have to find an agreement to divide up the timetables.
Michele Ruffi