After a 12-hour closure triggered by Mount Etna’s latest eruption, Catania’s Fontanarossa Airport reopened on a restricted schedule at 18:00 on 10 July. Departures were allowed first, with arrivals staggered from 20:00 at four movements per hour; full operations were set to restart at 22:00 once runway cleaning and engine-ingestion risk assessments were completed. The volcanic ash forced the diversion of 19 flights to Palermo and Lamezia Terme and the cancellation of 23 others, disrupting connections across Europe. Low-cost carriers Ryanair and EasyJet warned that residual delays could ripple through networks for 24-36 hours. The airport operator SAC urged passengers to check flight status and reach the terminal three hours early because of longer security lines and baggage congestion. Volcanic-ash events are classed as extraordinary circumstances under EU261, meaning airlines are exempt from compensation but must provide care. Mobility teams with staff arriving for summer assignments in Sicily should confirm hotel availability in Catania, Syracuse and Ragusa, where occupancy is above 85 % amid peak tourist season. The incident is the third closure of Fontanarossa this year and revives debate on contingency infrastructure in eastern Sicily, where Comiso airport’s limited operating hours restrict diversion capacity. Long-term, authorities are studying ash-detection LIDAR systems to shorten closure windows and protect Sicily’s vital tourism and perishables-export sectors.
Source: La Sicilia
