Mount Etna volcanic eruption closes Catania international airport

26.07.2024 - 23:33 / euronews.com / Ruth Wright

Travel to and from the Italian island of Sicily is currently disrupted due to a volcanic eruption.

Catania international airport is closed due to an eruption from Mount Etna causing an ash cloud reaching 8km into the air.

The airport's management said: "The suspension will result in cancellations and/or rerouting to other airports," saying normal operations would resume once the ash fallout had ended.

Airline Aeroitalia has reported that the airport will be closed until 6pm this evening (Tuesday).

No flights are landing or departing at Catania, on the east coast of the island. Some flights are being diverted to Palermo and Comiso airport while others are being cancelled.

Local residents have reported hearing loud roars coming from Mount Etna and their windows shaking.

Airport authorities are advising passengers due to fly out of Catania to check their flight's status before leaving for the airport.

Although no official numbers have been issued, the airport's departure boards currently show cancelled flights until 4.10pm local time. No status is given for flights after this time.

For departures between 1 and 3pm, five are diverted to Palermo and one to Comiso.

For arrivals between 1 and 3pm, six are diverted to land Palermo, one at Comiso and one at Trapani.

Check your flight status here.

Although many are being cancelled outright, some flights are being diverted to other airports in Sicily.

This is especially the case for flights that were already in the air when Catania airport was closed.

Don't forget that Sicily is the biggest island in the Mediterranean. It is twice the size of Cyprus, a country in its own right, and it takes at least eight hours to drive all the way from east to west.

Comiso airport is a two-hour drive from Catania airport; both are on the east of the island.

Whereas Palermo and Trapani are on the west of the island therefore four-five hours drive from Catania.

There are car hire companies at Sicily's airports and there are also coaches between the main cities.

During previous travel disruption, airports or airlines have arranged free coaches to take passengers to the airport they were due to land at.

Airlines are required to offer you another flight or a refund is a flight is cancelled or delayed by more than three hours.

However, this is only when they could have prevented the disruption. In the case of a volcanic eruption, it is not their fault.

However in most cases airlines will still endeavour to get passengers to their final destination.

It always pays to have travel insurance as you may be able to claim back for unexpected expenses.

Yes, it is still safe to travel to Sicily, even when Mount Etna is erupting.

There is an ongoing drought in Sicily but the majority of hotels and other