Etna eruption extends closure of Sicily’s Catania airport until Aug 15
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Passengers at Catania airport following the airport’s closure due to an ash cloud from Sicily’s Mount Etna on Aug 14.
PHOTO: REUTERS
CATANIA – Flights at Catania airport in Sicily will remain suspended until early on Aug 15 because of ash from Mount Etna’s ongoing volcanic activity, which has forced hundreds of flights to be cancelled or rerouted over the past week.
All arrivals at the island hub, Italy’s fifth-busiest airport by passenger traffic, will be suspended through 2am local time on Aug 15, airport operator SAC said in a statement late on Aug 13.
Passengers were advised to check their flight status with their airlines before travelling to the airport.
The prolonged restrictions come at the height of the summer holiday season, affecting thousands of passengers and placing additional pressure on Sicily’s other airports.
Mount Etna, Europe’s highest and most active volcano, frequently disrupts operations at Catania airport, whose operator launched the sale of a stake of at least 51 per cent in May. REUTERS