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Mount Etna |
An ash cloud from the eruption triggered airline cancellations, delays, and detours ahead of the biggest bank holiday in Italy.
The airport in Catania has reopened after being forced to close by a volcanic explosion.
After Mount Etna erupted on Sunday evening, travel to and from Sicily was severely interrupted.
Many of the airport's flights into and out of Catania were canceled. The airport had hoped to reopen at 8 p.m. on Monday, but it didn't open until 6 a.m. on August 15.
The most active volcano in Europe, Etna, has increased from warning level F0 to F1 and entered a "pre-alert" phase, according to Italian authorities.
Following Mount Etna's eruption, Catania Airport was closed.
Due to volcanic ash fallout, all flights at Catania were halted on Monday evening until 6am on Tuesday, according to airport officials.
The second-largest airport in Sicily is Catania, which offers both domestic and international service.
Although the airport has now reopened, travelers are advised to contact their airline for information regarding their upcoming flight.
Although the eruption is already over, there is still ash on several of Catania's streets. Up until Wednesday, the mayor has prohibited both the usage of motorcyclists and over-30kph driving.
Where were planes being rerouted from Catania Airport?
The departures and arrivals boards at Catania Airport indicated that 95% of Monday's flights were canceled.
Nevertheless, a few flights were still landing or were being diverted to other Sicilian airports.
Due to Sicily's size as the largest island in the Mediterranean, there are numerous airports.
The island's east coast is home to the airports of Catania and Comiso. The largest airport on the island, Palermo, is located on the west coast. The trip from Catania to the airport in Palermo takes four to five hours.
Additionally, a few planes were being rerouted to Trapani airport, which is located four hours away from Catania.
How to get from one airport in Sicily to another
For the past four years, Mount Etna has been experiencing a very active phase. Catania Airport closes as a result of eruptions occasionally every several months.
When forced to close, the airport normally does not assist travelers with transportation.
Sicily, however, lacks a reliable public transportation infrastructure. Coaches connect Catania, Palermo, and Trapani, but they often leave from the cities' central business districts rather than the airports.
Intercity coaches are run by the bus firm AST; you may view their timetable here.
At any airport in Sicily, you can rent a car.
What recommendations do airlines have?
On August 14, Ryanair issued a "possible delays, diversion, or cancellations to flights" warning to all passengers flying to or from Catania. The low-cost airline promised to notify impacted passengers as quickly as feasible.
The primary airline operating flights from the UK to Catania is EasyJet. Flights to Catania from Bristol, Edinburgh, and Gatwick had to be canceled. Some planes were being diverted to Comiso airport, which is located two hours away from Catania airport.
Numerous other carriers' flights from all throughout Europe to Catania were also canceled.
The eruption also caused aircraft disruptions elsewhere.
Flights at Comiso Airport, which is around 150 kilometers from Mount Etna, were delayed on Monday morning as a result of the eruption. In order to avoid the ash cloud from the eruption that has extended across Sicily, air traffic bound towards the island of Malta was also being diverted.
Due to the fact that planes affected by the eruption were either severely delayed or cancelled, passengers had the right to adequate lodging and meals.
A sudden continuation of cancellations, delays, and disruptions is possible, particularly if there are additional eruptions.
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