Persistent Etna ash shuts Catania airport during peak holiday week

Mount Etna's volcanic ash has caused the Italian island's largest airport, Catania, to remain closed for the fifth consecutive day, disrupting the travel plans of hundreds of summer holiday travelers during the peak holiday season. The closure, which extends to Saturday afternoon, coincides with Ferragosto, a holiday marking the height of Italy's summer travel.

Boris Behncke, a researcher at the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology's Etna Observatory, warns that volcanic ash can pose a significant risk to aircraft, potentially causing engine stalls. This prolonged ash emission, particularly unusual for its persistence, has led to the cancellation of 36% of nearly 2,000 flights scheduled to arrive in Catania from August 6-12.

Over 600 flights have been diverted to other Sicilian and Calabrian airports. The Corriere della Sera daily reports that increased taxi and car rental prices have resulted from the airport's closure. The Codacons consumer association plans to file a complaint with Italy’s competition authority regarding alleged price gouging. Italy’s travel industry has called for a task force to coordinate responses to such disruptions and to review airline handling of cancellations and passenger assistance.