Mount Etna eruptions cause major flight disruptions in Sicily
Catania Airport has limited arriving flights as eruptions from Europe’s tallest and most active volcano send ash into the atmosphere.
Video from Dec. 27 and 28 shows skiers on the slopes as Mount Etna erupts in the background, creating a striking and unusual scene in Italy.
Eruptions from Sicily’s Mount Etna volcano have caused significant disruptions at the island’s largest airport over the last week, according to reports.
The volcano has been continuously erupting since Aug. 6, "with no clear end in sight," the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) said. Experts note the eruption could continue for weeks or even months.
Catania Airport extended the closure of Sector B1 “due to Etna's eruptive activity and the simultaneous emission of volcanic ash into the atmosphere,” according to the most recent update posted Monday.
Mount Etna's activity has interfered with flights before, but this is the longest emergency since 2002, The Associated Press noted. To help with flight cancellations, the Italian train company Trenitalia added six trains to the Palermo-Messina-Catania route.
Etna’s largest eruption occurred in 1669, according to the Italian Civil Protection Department. The eruption began in March before reaching Catania the following month, where lava flow destroyed a large part of the town.
Mount Etna's eruptive activity continues, with active lava flows fed by vents located at 2,750 and 1,900 meters of altitude, alongside ongoing ash emissions from the Voragine summit crater in Catania, Sicily, Italy on Aug. 14, 2026. (Photo by Salvatore Allegra/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Catania Airport faces ongoing disruptions from Etna
Sicily has six airports, but only four serve international flights, explained Excursions Sicily, a private tourist site. Only 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) from the city, Catania Airport is the busiest of the Sicily airports and the sixth busiest in Italy. Tourists can also reach the island by train or ferry.
Catania Airport, located 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) south of Etna, added that flight operations are limited to 10 arriving aircraft per hour until 12 p.m. CEST Tuesday, Aug. 18. Just a few hours before the update, incoming flights were limited to five aircraft per hour.
There are currently no restrictions on departing flights.
“Passengers are advised to check the status of their flight with their airline before heading to the airport,” Catania Airport wrote. “Further updates will follow.”
The SAC management company said 36% of about 1,974 flights scheduled to land in Catania from Aug. 6-12 were canceled due to Etna’s volcanic activity and “operational limitations.” About 630 flights scheduled to arrive at Catania were diverted to other airports, including Comiso, Trapani and Palermo. The SAC said the eruption has had the most severe impact on airport infrastructure in 20 years.
An aerial view of Catania at dusk, with a large plume of volcanic ash rising from Mount Etna in the background, on Aug. 11, 2026, in Catania, Italy. (Photo by Fabrizio Villa/Getty Images)
Changes in the direction and intensity of winds affect ash cloud, which impacts flight navigation, Catania Airport, said in coordination with the Department of Civil Protection and Comiso Airport. These sudden changes cause the flight schedule to be altered multiple times per day in accordance with international safety procedures.
The average amplitude of the volcanic tremor peaked Sunday, according to the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV). It has since decreased slightly, with some oscillations, and remains within the high range.
Mount Etna's eruptive activity continues, with active lava flows fed by vents located at 2,750 and 1,900 meters of altitude, alongside ongoing ash emissions from the Voragine summit crater in Catania, Sicily, Italy on Aug. 14, 2026. (Photo by Salvatore Allegra/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Mount Etna, located on Sicily’s east coast, is Europe’s tallest and most active volcano, at almost 11,000 feet. While Etna is one of Sicily’s most popular tourist attractions, its frequent eruptions can cause the landscape to change constantly.
Information for this story was gathered using Google Translate.
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