Etna eruption disrupts Sicily flights for a week

Mount Etna’s seven-day eruption continues to disrupt Sicily’s travel, with Catania airport repeatedly closed to arrivals and departures as volcanic ash and gas-rich magma persist. The airport has extended suspensions into early Friday, forcing hundreds of flight cancellations, diversions, and significant knock-on effects for peak-summer tourism and local travel plans. Authorities emphasize safety and air-traffic restrictions, urging travelers to check flight status and consider alternative transport while the ash plume travels with shifting winds. The disruption is affecting not only flights but also tourism dynamics, with thousands of passengers affected and economic damage estimates in the tens of millions of euros range, and Malta and other regional airports temporarily on alert due to ash dispersion. Spectators and guides report a surge of visitors drawn to the lava flows and volcanic activity, highlighting both opportunistic tourism and heightened safety concerns around crowded viewing areas. The reopening timeline remains uncertain as ash emissions and weather conditions continue to influence flight corridors and regulatory responses.