05 / 10
Etna ash disrupts 700 Catania flights
Volcanic ash from Mount Etna has disrupted Catania Airport and diverted Sicily’s peak-season air traffic.
What happened
Mount Etna's continuing activity sent ash into eastern Sicily's airspace, prompting Catania Airport to suspend operations during the summer travel season. Flights have been cancelled, diverted or rescheduled, while Palermo and other Sicilian airports handled some rerouted passengers. Ash poses a risk to aircraft engines, driving the restrictions.
Numbers
- More than 700flights cancelled, diverted or rescheduled
- About 190flights redirected to Palermo — in recent days
- 220 kilometresdistance ash reached Malta
Questions
- Why can ash stop flights?
- Fine rock and glass particles in volcanic ash can damage jet engines, so regulators restricted airspace around eastern Sicily.
- Where are diverted flights going?
- Palermo took flights originally bound for eastern Sicily, while Comiso and Trapani also received rerouted services during the closure.
- Why are alternatives hard to find?
- Peak holiday demand and limited capacity at other airports have made seats and rerouting options harder to secure.
- How has tourism been affected?
- The regional trade association estimates losses in the tens of millions of euros as travellers cancel or change their trips.
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The catch
Coverage does not confirm when Etna will settle or when Catania Airport will resume normal operations.