Flights at Catania Airport in Sicily were suspended again on Wednesday after volcanic ash from Mount Etna disrupted operations, with take-offs and landings halted until 11:00 local time. The airport operator SAC closed airspace sector B3, following earlier restrictions in sector C1, as ash spread through the atmosphere from renewed eruptive activity. Comiso Airport was also affected, with flight movements initially suspended until 10:00 local time because of ash contamination.
The disruption has been building for several days and remains significant for eastern Sicily, where Catania is the region’s main airport. Earlier reporting put the number of affected travellers at about 30,000, with multiple diversions and schedule changes across the network. Reuters had already reported a previous phase of the same disruption on 10 August, when arrivals were suspended because of ash near the airport.
SAC has told passengers to check flight status directly with their airline before travelling, as conditions remain volatile and further extensions are possible if ash levels continue to affect air traffic.