Air traffic to and from Sicily faces further disruption as Mount Etna continues to erupt, forcing the suspension of all flights at Catania Airport until Saturday at 2:00 am. Catania is the Italian island’s primary aviation hub.
A Friday afternoon KLM flight from Amsterdam Schiphol to Catania was cancelled, following earlier announcements by KLM and Transavia that flights would be diverted to Palermo where possible. However, Palermo Airport operates with a significantly smaller capacity, meaning not all scheduled services can be accommodated. Passengers landing at Palermo are being transferred to Catania by coach.
As Europe’s most active volcano, Mount Etna frequently causes chaos for airlines. The prolonged restrictions at Catania are heaping pressure on Sicily’s secondary airports during one of the busiest peak summer holiday periods of the year. Flight operations at Catania have experienced intermittent disruptions since 7 August following the latest volcanic activity.
@anp | NEWS BRAINPORT
