- Sicily's primary airport in Catania has been forced to close for a fifth consecutive day during the peak Ferragosto holiday week due to persistent volcanic ash spewing from Mount Etna, stranding hundreds of summer travellers.
- Experts from the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology noted that while Mount Etna regularly experiences disruptions, the current persistent ash emissions represent the longest emergency closure at the airport since 2002.
- The ongoing airport closure resulted in the cancellation of 36 per cent of nearly 2,000 scheduled flights between 6 and 12 August, forcing over 600 flights to be diverted to alternative hubs across the region.
- The disruption and rerouting of passengers triggered sharp increases in local taxi fares and car rental rates, leading Italian consumer association Codacons to file a complaint with the competition authority over price gouging.
- To help ease the travel chaos, train operator Trenitalia added extra services along the Palermo-Messina-Catania line, while travel agency federation FIAVET called for an official task force to manage responses and review airline handling.
IN FULL
Mount Etna ash keeps Sicily’s largest airport closed for fifth straight day in peak holiday week
