September 29, 2026

Italy's Catania airport closes again due to Etna volcano, after brief reopening

Thousands of passengers are affected as airlines divert flights to other Sicilian airports

Italy's Catania airport closes again due to Etna volcano, after brief reopening
A drone view shows volcanic ash and fumes over the skyline during an eruption at Mount Etna, as seen from Trappeto, Sicily, Italy, Sept 14, 2026. Giuseppe Di Stefano/Etna Walk/Handout via REUTERS

Reuters

Published : 29 Sep 2026, 04:12 PM

Updated : 29 Sep 2026, 04:12 PM

Italy's Catania airport closed again on Tuesday after renewed disruption linked to the Mount Etna volcano, only hours after it had reopened following a three-day closure.

Airport operator SAC said flight operations had been halted until 1300 GMT because of volcanic activity and current weather conditions.

It advised passengers to check the status of their flights with their airlines before travelling to the airport, adding that updates would follow.

The Sicilian airport, Italy's fifth-busiest by passenger traffic, is often disrupted by volcanic ash interference from Mount Etna, Europe's highest and most active volcano.

The latest shutdown affected thousands of passengers and placed significant pressure on other Sicilian airports, as airlines diverted flights away from Catania.

Related Stories