- Catania Airport has extended flight arrival suspensions until 20:00 on August 14, 2026
- Over 700 flights have been cancelled since the eruption intensified on August 8
- Palermo Airport has absorbed roughly 190 diverted flights from Catania
- Comiso Airport has reopened after a brief ash suspension earlier in the week
- Passengers have been advised not to travel to the airport without confirmed flight status
Catania Airport (CTA) has extended flight arrival suspensions until at least 20:00 local time on Friday, 14 August 2026, due to massive volcanic ash clouds from Mount Etna. Heavy ashfall from Europe’s most active volcano has contaminated runway sectors, making flying unsafe and forcing aviation authorities to restrict incoming flights. Over 700 flights have been cancelled since the eruption sequence intensified on August 8, leaving tens of thousands of summer holidaymakers stranded.
Aviation authorities are diverting air traffic to other regional hubs including Palermo Airport, which has absorbed roughly 190 diverted flights, Comiso Airport, which reopened after a brief ash suspension, Trapani Airport, and Malta International Airport.
- Comiso Airport (CIY): Located in southern Sicily, this airport has absorbed the highest number of diverted flights.
- Palermo Airport (PMO): Located on the northwestern coast of the island, this major gateway has absorbed nearly 200 rescheduled and diverted flights.
- Trapani–Birgi Airport (TPS): Located on the far western tip of Sicily, handling a smaller portion of the redirected traffic
Ground transport options at these locations, including taxis and buses, have become highly congested as passengers seek alternative arrangements. Departure schedules from Catania remain fluid and highly dependent on wind directions.
Airlines including Ryanair, EasyJet, and Wizz Air are managing rebookings and offering refunds to affected passengers. Travelers have been advised not to travel to the airport without a confirmed flight status and to monitor their booking email addresses for automatic itinerary changes. The prolonged closure impacts Sicily tourism arrivals during the busy summer season, with no immediate end to the disruption in sight.
Aer Lingus provides direct flights from Dublin (DUB) to Catania (CTA), operating about 3 times a week with a flight duration of roughly 3 hours and 45 minutes. Flight EI 462 is scheduled to fly today.
Catania Airport shared in a eirtten statement “The safety of passengers and crew remains our primary concern and operations will resume only when conditions allow safe flying.”
