Flights to and from Sicily's Catania airport have been suspended due to ash emissions from Mount Etna, significantly disrupting travel for tourists during the peak holiday season. The airport operator, SAC, announced that air traffic would remain suspended until Thursday afternoon, following an extension of airspace restrictions by aviation authorities over eastern Sicily.
The ash emissions have affected airlines including British Airways, easyJet, Ryanair, and Wizz Air, which operate flights between Catania and the UK. One British holidaymaker from London reported having four flights cancelled over the past five days after initially attempting to fly home last Friday.
He described the situation at Catania airport as crowded and lacking clear information, with passengers relying on mobile phones for updates. After multiple attempts to rebook, he resorted to a seven-hour drive to Naples to catch a flight from there. "If you want to get home now, you have to get off the island and drive to Naples or Rome," he told the Daily Mail, anticipating further cancellations.
Other travelers have faced similar challenges. One group, scheduled to fly from Catania to Leeds-Bradford with Jet2, was transported by bus from Catania airport to Trapani for a later flight. Another described being moved by Air Serbia buses to Palermo airport after their initial flight to Belgrade was cancelled.
Volcanic ash has been visible in Catania, coating streets, cars, and outdoor surfaces. Residents have become accustomed to the phenomenon, with one noting the ash had reached his accommodation.
The disruption extended to neighboring Malta, where flight cancellations and delays were reported overnight as volcanic ash drifted across the Mediterranean. Although conditions appeared to improve on Wednesday, Malta International Airport cautioned passengers about potential ongoing disruptions.
Catania-Fontanarossa Airport, Sicily's main gateway and Italy's fifth-busiest airport, frequently experiences operational suspensions due to Mount Etna's activity. The current prolonged restrictions are placing additional pressure on Sicily's other airports during a busy tourist period.
Palermo Mayor Roberto Lagalla stated that Palermo Airport has handled 190 flights originally scheduled for Catania in recent days. However, some passengers rerouted to Palermo reported insufficient assistance with onward transportation, leading to surges in demand for buses and taxis.
Comiso Airport, a smaller facility south of Catania that has also been used to absorb diverted traffic, resumed full operations after temporarily suspending flights on Tuesday evening due to ashfall. The airport operator advised passengers to check their flight status directly with their airlines for the latest updates.