Sunday, August 18, 2024 Mount Etna Eruption Disrupts Travel as Sicily’s Major Airport Reopens Tourists faced significant disruptions this week as volcanic activity at Sicily’s Mount Etna led to widespread flight cancellations and delays. Catania Airport, the island’s busiest, was forced to shut down temporarily, leaving thousands stranded. However, the airport is now resuming operations.
The eruption of Mount Etna, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, sent towering plumes of smoke and ash over 10 kilometers into the sky earlier this week, causing a travel nightmare for tourists. The ash blanketed the runways at Catania Airport, leading to the cancellation of numerous flights as airlines like Ryanair, British Airways, and easyJet scrambled to adjust their schedules. Catania Airport, which handles a significant amount of international traffic, faced a particularly challenging situation.
The airport took to social media on Thursday to update travelers, stating, “The runway at #CTAairport is unusable due to volcanic ash fallout: both arrivals and departures are suspended.” The airport initially estimated that flight operations would resume by 6:00 PM, urging passengers to check their flight status before heading to the airport. By Sunday morning, some flights, including an easyJet service to London, had successfully departed, signaling the beginning of a return to normalcy.
This came as a relief to many travelers who had been caught up in the chaos, although t.