Flights Suspended in Catania Due to Etna Ash, Passengers Wait at Airport
The suspension of flights at Catania airport has led to chaos, with thousands of passengers stranded in Sicily, many spending the night at the airport.
The suspension of flights at Catania airport has led to chaos, with thousands of passengers stranded in Sicily, many spending the night at the airport.
Flights arriving at Catania airport on the east coast of Sicily have been suspended due to volcanic ash from a new eruption of Mount Etna, which has entered the airspace around the airport. Airport operator SAC announced on Monday, August 10, 2026, that traffic was halted, with sources disagreeing on the exact duration of the suspension: Net.hr reports that inbound flights are suspended until 5 PM, while N1 Croatia reports a suspension until 3 PM.
"Passengers are advised to check the status of their flight with their airline before heading to the airport," SAC said. The operator stated that the situation is being continuously monitored and that new updates will be issued in line with changes in volcanic activity and weather conditions.
Due to the flight suspension, thousands of passengers have been left without their scheduled flights, with many spending the night at Catania airport, which is the fifth busiest airport in Italy and the main airport on the island. On social media, passengers describe hours-long waits, a lack of information, and problems with transportation to other airports.
"We were out in the sun for two hours, waiting for four buses to Catania that were promised to us, with elderly people and children exhausted from the heat," one passenger wrote on social media, describing the chaotic situation with the organization of alternative transport.
According to a report from Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), the latest eruptive phase at Europe's highest volcano continues from vents at altitudes of 2,750 meters and 2,360 meters, feeding several lava flows and creating extensive lava fields. Activity also continues in the Voragine crater, with ash emissions.
The tremor caused by seismic activity remains very pronounced, while the aviation warning remains at the highest, red level. The VONA warning, issued by INGV's volcanic observatory for aviation, remains at the highest alert level, indicating a persistent hazard to aircraft due to ash emissions. The day before, on August 9, a rare volcanic vortex, known as a "Volnado," was captured on video over the lava flows, with the footage shared on Twitter by Pacific Wire.
