Catania-Fontanarossa Airport in Sicily suspended all arrivals and departures after volcanic ash from Mount Etna drifted into its airspace, forcing the island’s main air gateway to halt operations until 12:00 local time on Sunday. The closure followed an earlier limit on arrivals and extended the disruption to both inbound and outbound traffic at the busy leisure and connectivity hub.
The interruption was linked to renewed activity at Etna’s North-East Crater, combined with strong winds and storms that pushed ash toward the airport. The plume reportedly rose to around 4 kilometres, prompting Italy’s highest aviation alert level. Passengers were advised to check flight status with their airline before travelling, as conditions could shift quickly if the volcano’s activity or wind direction changed.
Catania has faced repeated ash-related disruption in recent months, with similar stoppages reported earlier in the summer and again in mid-September. The airport’s repeated shutdowns have underscored the vulnerability of Sicily’s busiest air link to volcanic activity at Etna.