Catania Airport flights suspended due to Etna ash

Flights at Catania Airport in Sicily will remain suspended until Saturday morning due to ash from Mount Etna’s eruptive activity, which has caused hundreds of flights to be canceled or diverted over the past week, Reuters reports.

All arrivals at Catania Airport, Italy’s fifth-busiest airport, will be suspended until August 15 at 2:00 a.m. local time (midnight GMT), the airport operator SAC said in a statement late Thursday, CE Report quotes AGERPRES.

Passengers have been advised to check the status of their flights with their airlines before traveling to the airport.

The extended restrictions come during the peak summer tourist season, affecting thousands of passengers and putting additional pressure on other airports across Sicily.

Mount Etna, Europe’s highest and most active volcano, frequently disrupts operations at Catania Airport. Its operator launched the sale of a stake of at least 51% in May.

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