Mount Etna Erupts: Volcanic Ash Grounds Flights, Stranding Travelers
Flights at Catania Airport in Sicily have been suspended following significant volcanic activity from Mount Etna, which produced a 4km-high ash cloud. This disruption, compounded by a violent storm, has led to cancellations, including easyJet flights between Manchester and Catania. Passengers are advised to check flight statuses as the airport remains closed until at least late Sunday, with some flights diverted to Palermo.
Flights at Catania Airport in Sicily have been significantly disrupted and ultimately suspended due to ongoing volcanic activity from Mount Etna. The latest incident began on Saturday, September 26, when Mount Etna emitted a substantial 4km-high volcanic ash cloud from its north-east crater, which then dispersed southwards. Compounding the situation, a violent storm also battered Catania throughout the night, as reported by the Mirror.
Initially, restrictions were placed on flights at Catania Airport, but these escalated to a full suspension of all flight operations. The disruption continued for a second day, with the airport remaining closed. An update issued by Catania Airport on Sunday, September 27, confirmed that "all flight operations remain suspended until 11:59 PM today" following the release of volcanic ash into the atmosphere. Passengers were strongly advised to verify the status of their flights directly with their airlines before attempting to travel to the airport, with further updates promised.
This volcanic activity has directly impacted international travel, including flights between Manchester Airport and Catania. Both Jet2 and easyJet operate routes on this corridor. Specifically, easyJet flight U22133, scheduled to depart from Manchester at 7:55 AM on Sunday morning, was cancelled. The corresponding return flight, easyJet U22134 from Catania to Manchester Airport, departing at 3:35 PM, was also cancelled.
As an alternative, Palermo Airport, which also serves flights from Manchester Airport, has remained open and is currently diverting some flights intended for Catania. This is not the first time Mount Etna has caused such widespread disruption; Catania Airport experienced a partial closure just weeks prior, on Monday, September 14, also due to volcanic ash. Furthermore, on August 10, the airport was entirely shut down for several hours, with all inbound flights cancelled because of volcanic ash affecting the airspace.