Catania–Fontanarossa airport resumed flights on 15 August after authorities downgraded Mount Etna’s aviation alert from red to orange, easing a week of disruption caused by volcanic ash. Sicily’s main airport had repeatedly extended suspensions as ash clouds forced cancellations and diversions across peak summer travel, affecting airlines and passengers using the island’s busiest hub.
The shutdown hit one of Italy’s most important regional gateways, with Catania ranked the country’s fifth-busiest airport. Earlier updates showed arrivals and departures being halted in stages as conditions changed, while passengers were urged to check flight status before travelling. The ash plume also spilled into surrounding airspace, driving knock-on disruption at other airports in Sicily, including Palermo, Trapani and Comiso, as well as Malta.
The episode led to hundreds of cancellations and diversions over several days, with some reports putting diverted flights at more than 600 and total cancellations at roughly 700. Comiso also faced a brief ash-related suspension, underlining how quickly Etna activity can unsettle Mediterranean traffic flows during the holiday peak.