Catania Airport in Sicily has suspended all inbound flights until 5pm local time today (August 10) after ash from Mount Etna's recent eruption drifted into surrounding airspace. The suspension affects carriers including Ryanair, easyJet, ITA Airways, and Wizz Air.
Airspace Closure and Restrictions
Airport operator SAC confirmed that a portion of airspace south-west of Mount Etna had been shut down because of the ash cloud. It stated: "Due to Etna's eruptive activity and the associated release of volcanic ash into the atmosphere, the airspace corresponding to the ash cloud southwest of the volcano (Sector C1) has been closed. Arrivals are suspended until 5.00 PM."
Initially, restrictions permitted a limited number of planes to touch down at Catania, with arrivals restricted to five per hour until 6am. Authorities subsequently decided to halt incoming flights completely.
Impact and Monitoring
The airport operator stated the disruption was significantly affecting operations and urged travellers to check with their airline prior to departure. It added: "The situation is being constantly monitored, and further updates will be provided depending on the evolution of volcanic activity and weather conditions."
The disruption comes as Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology reported Mount Etna's ongoing eruption, with multiple lava flows observed. The aviation alert for the volcano has been kept at red, the most severe level, owing to the threat volcanic ash presents to aircraft.
As Sicily's busiest airport and Italy's fifth largest, Catania frequently experiences flight disruption due to Mount Etna, one of the world's most active volcanoes. Meanwhile, Palermo Airport, located on Sicily's opposite coast, appears to be running as normal.
