Flights at Catania airport in Sicily faced another suspension on Wednesday due to fresh ash emissions from Mount Etna, Europe’s highest and most active volcano. This led to extended airspace restrictions, causing travel disruptions during the busy summer holiday season. The impact of the recent eruption was not limited to Sicily, as neighboring Malta reported flight cancellations and significant delays due to volcanic ash drifting south across the Mediterranean.
Mount Etna often disrupts operations at Catania airport, which serves as Sicily’s main gateway and is the fifth busiest airport in Italy in terms of passenger traffic. Recent volcanic activities have affected travelers, with images showing lava flow and smoke rising from the crater during the eruptions on July 5 and 6.
Satellite imagery captured smoke spreading from Mount Etna, while drone footage depicted lava flowing down a slope during the eruption. Travel disruptions have been ongoing in eastern Sicily since last week when ash from Etna started spreading across the region, leading to stranded passengers at the Catania airport terminal.
Despite some improvements on Wednesday, Malta International Airport continued to caution passengers about potential disruptions. The prolonged restrictions at Catania have resulted in added pressure on other airports in Sicily. Palermo’s airport had to handle 190 flights that were originally scheduled for Catania, while Comiso airport, located south of Catania, resumed full operations after temporarily halting flights due to ash from Mount Etna.