Which two pipelines supply Malpensa Airport with Jet A-1 fuel?

Malpensa relies on two separate pipelines: the first connects ENI’s refinery in Sannazzaro de’ Burgondi to Rho (39 km), while the second links SARPOM’s refinery in Trecate to Malpensa (31 km). Both pipelines feed into the DISMA storage facility, where the fuel is filtered, measured and stored before being distributed to aircraft.

How much Jet A-1 fuel can DISMA store at Malpensa?

The DISMA storage facility at Malpensa has a total operational capacity of **23.4 million litres** of Jet A-1. This amount can supply aircraft for approximately 7 to 10 days in the event of pipeline disruptions, depending on daily airport demand.

What happens if Europe runs out of Jet A-1 fuel due to the war in Iran?

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), Europe holds a maximum of **six weeks of Jet A-1 reserves**. If the crisis persists, some airlines may be forced to **cancel flights** due to a lack of fuel. Malpensa, which depends on two vulnerable pipelines, would be among the airports most exposed to this risk.

What are the alternative transport options for Ticino cross-border workers if flights are cancelled at Malpensa?

The main alternatives include: 1) Overnight trains from Milan to Lugano (SBB or Trenitalia, 1h30-2h, 25-40 CHF); 2) Shared rides with other cross-border workers (shared cost 30-40 CHF per trip); 3) Temporary hotel stays near the airport (80-120 CHF per night); 4) Transfer to other airports (Bergamo Orio al Serio, Verona Villafranca).

Has the Ticino Department of Finance and Economy (DFE) already activated an emergency plan for cross-border workers in the event of a fuel crisis?

No official emergency plans specific to Ticino have been announced to date. However, the Department of Finance and Economy (DFE) is monitoring the situation and collecting reports via its institutional website. Cross-border workers can report disruptions for potential coordinated action with SEA and airlines.

Are Ticino-based companies legally required to reimburse cross-border workers for additional costs incurred due to flight cancellations?

There is no specific legal obligation, but many companies have **business continuity plans** that include reimbursements for alternative transport, accommodation or lost income. Cross-border workers should contact their employer to check if such agreements or partnerships with hotels or transport providers exist.

Does the 1976 Italo-Swiss Convention include mechanisms for handling crises of this kind?

The Italo-Swiss Convention of 9 December 1976 primarily governs **customs and tax aspects for cross-border workers**, but does not include specific measures for energy crises or air transport disruptions. However, it does provide **collaboration mechanisms** between authorities in the event of cross-border emergencies, which could be activated upon request.

Malpensa running on empty: what cross-border workers from Ticino stand to lose (cross-border guide)

Di Laura Bianchi · Published on 18 April 2026

Malpensa airport at night: refueling aircraft with Jet A-1 fuel for civil flights between Italy and Ticino

Malpensa relies on two pipelines for its Jet A-1 fuel supply. An energy crisis could ground flights and jeopardize the livelihoods of 40,000 cross-border commuters.

Context

In brief - Fuel crisis - Malpensa at risk - Cross-border commuters affected

Key Facts

Airport: Malpensa
Fuel Supplies: Six weeks
Employees involved: 40 thousand cross-border workers
Annual passengers: 30 million in 2025
Storage capacity: 23.4 million litres
Oil pipelines: Two, Rho-Sannazzaro and Trecate-SARPOM
Risk: Energy crisis and geopolitics

Not only planes fly at Malpensa. Behind each take-off there is a refueling system that involves 40 thousand cross-border workers — many of whom live in Ticino. The International Energy Agency (IEA) has warned that Europe has only six weeks of A-1 jet stocks in the event of a blockage of energy flows from the Middle East. The war in Iran and geopolitical tensions risk paralyzing Malpensa, an airport without a registry office but with 30 million passengers in 2025 and infrastructures that depend on two separate pipelines.

The invisible fuel net

Aviation fuel at Malpensa arrives through two separate lines: - Rho-Sannazzaro oil pipeline: connects the ENI refinery in Sannazzaro de' Burgondi to the DISMA depot, covering 39 kilometers. - Trecate-SARPOM pipeline: connects the SARPOM refinery in Trecate to the DISMA depot, for 31 kilometers.

Both pipelines flow into the DISMA (Malpensa Intermediate Storage Depot), where the A-1 Jet is filtered, measured and stored in five above-ground tanks with an operational capacity of 23.4 million liters. From there, eight dispatch pumps feed a network of pipelines that directly supplies planes to aprons. The system is protected by dedicated fire protection systems, fire detectors and 24/7 video surveillance.

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Operational details

If Malpensa were to face a prolonged fuel shortage, Ticino’s cross-border workers would be confronted with a scenario far more complex than a simple flight cancellation. The reliance on this airport by tens of thousands of employees — including doctors, engineers, technicians, and office workers — would demand immediate structural solutions, not just emergency measures.

The supply chain is not infinite

Jet A-1 is not a fuel you fill up at a gas station. It is a precision-grade product with strict technical specifications ensuring safety at high altitudes. Every litre must pass filtration tests, cold resistance checks, and impurity screening before being pumped into aircraft tanks. At Malpensa, this process takes place at the DISMA facility, where fuel arrives via pipelines after being refined at industrial plants hundreds of kilometres away.

The issue is not just quantity, but distribution capacity. If one of the two pipelines were to fail — due to maintenance, sabotage, or an energy crisis — the other might not be able to handle the load. In 2025, ENI’s refinery in Sannazzaro already faced production bottlenecks, forcing the airport to turn to third-party suppliers. Yet Malpensa’s storage capacity (23.4 million litres) is limited: if the supply is cut off, reserves would last at most 7-10 days for an airport of Varese’s size.

📊 Critical threshold: Beyond six weeks, as forecast by the IEA, the situation would escalate beyond emergency protocols.

Worst-case scenario: what happens to cross-border workers

If the crisis persists beyond the IEA’s six-week threshold, passengers who depend on Malpensa would face these options:

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Key points

If the refueling of A-1 jets at Malpensa were to stop, the Ticino cross-border workers would find themselves without an immediate alternative — but not without options. Here's what to do before the situation becomes critical, step by step.

Step 1: Check the status of your stock and flights

1. Check the SEA (Società Esercizi Aeroportuali) website for updates on the status of DISMA and the two pipelines. The official portal reports anomalies in refueling or changes in delivery shifts at least 24-48 hours in advance. - Sito SEA Malpensa ("Operations" section). 2. Monitor the Twitter/X and LinkedIn accounts of SEA and Eni for real-time releases. In 2025, both SEA and ENI used these channels to warn of temporary production reductions in Sannazzaro. 3. Subscribe to the newsletters of the airlines operating at Malpensa (Lufthansa, Swiss, ITA Airways). Airlines often anticipate cancellations due to lack of fuel at least 72 hours before the flight.

Step 2: Activate personal emergency plans

If flights are cancelled, cross-border commuters must act quickly to avoid additional costs or loss of income. Here is a checklist:

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which two pipelines supply Malpensa Airport with Jet A-1 fuel?: Malpensa relies on two separate pipelines: the first connects ENI’s refinery in Sannazzaro de’ Burgondi to Rho (39 km), while the second links SARPOM’s refinery in Trecate to Malpensa (31 km). Both pipelines feed into the DISMA storage facility, where the fuel is filtered, measured and stored before being distributed to aircraft.
How much Jet A-1 fuel can DISMA store at Malpensa?: The DISMA storage facility at Malpensa has a total operational capacity of **23.4 million litres** of Jet A-1. This amount can supply aircraft for approximately 7 to 10 days in the event of pipeline disruptions, depending on daily airport demand.
What happens if Europe runs out of Jet A-1 fuel due to the war in Iran?: According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), Europe holds a maximum of **six weeks of Jet A-1 reserves**. If the crisis persists, some airlines may be forced to **cancel flights** due to a lack of fuel. Malpensa, which depends on two vulnerable pipelines, would be among the airports most exposed to this risk.
What are the alternative transport options for Ticino cross-border workers if flights are cancelled at Malpensa?: The main alternatives include: 1) Overnight trains from Milan to Lugano (SBB or Trenitalia, 1h30-2h, 25-40 CHF); 2) Shared rides with other cross-border workers (shared cost 30-40 CHF per trip); 3) Temporary hotel stays near the airport (80-120 CHF per night); 4) Transfer to other airports (Bergamo Orio al Serio, Verona Villafranca).
Has the Ticino Department of Finance and Economy (DFE) already activated an emergency plan for cross-border workers in the event of a fuel crisis?: No official emergency plans specific to Ticino have been announced to date. However, the Department of Finance and Economy (DFE) is monitoring the situation and collecting reports via its institutional website. Cross-border workers can report disruptions for potential coordinated action with SEA and airlines.
Are Ticino-based companies legally required to reimburse cross-border workers for additional costs incurred due to flight cancellations?: There is no specific legal obligation, but many companies have **business continuity plans** that include reimbursements for alternative transport, accommodation or lost income. Cross-border workers should contact their employer to check if such agreements or partnerships with hotels or transport providers exist.
Does the 1976 Italo-Swiss Convention include mechanisms for handling crises of this kind?: The Italo-Swiss Convention of 9 December 1976 primarily governs **customs and tax aspects for cross-border workers**, but does not include specific measures for energy crises or air transport disruptions. However, it does provide **collaboration mechanisms** between authorities in the event of cross-border emergencies, which could be activated upon request.