Etna eruption extends closure of Sicily’s Catania airport until Saturday

Flights at Catania airport in Sicily will remain suspended ​until early Saturday 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 2 a.m. local time (0000 GMT) on August 15, airport operator SAC said ​in a statement late on ​Thursday.

Passengers were advised to check the status of ‌their ⁠flights 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 have placed 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% in May.

Source:  Reuters