(Aug 13): Sicily’s Catania airport will remain closed until early Friday due to eruptions from nearby Mount Etna that have forced more than 1,350 flights to be affected over the past week. 

The airport extended a halt to passenger-flight arrivals through 8am on Friday, according to an update posted on Thursday. It earlier said all takeoffs and landings would remain suspended at the island hub through at least 2am.

The latest flare-up of Europe’s most active volcano has caused about 1,000 flights to be cancelled and another 350 rerouted to other facilities between Aug 6 and Aug 12, operator Società Aeroporto Catania said. The airport has been closed for the large part of that period, interrupting travel to the popular summer destination. More than 100,000 passengers are estimated to have been affected, La Repubblica reported. 

Flights have been shifted to other island hubs like Palermo, Trapani or Comiso, but Catania is the island’s busiest airport. Some travellers have been forced to sleep at the facility, with others shifting to buses and trains, and rental-car shortages have sent prices skyrocketing. 

Ryanair Holdings plc, the dominant carrier at Catania, said on its website that passengers should expect heavy delays, cancellations and diversions on Thursday. Wizz Air Holdings plc and easyJet plc and Ita Airways are among the other carriers active at the hub in southeast Sicily. 

easyJet said it cancelled its one return flight from London Gatwick on Thursday while Wizz said it’s been trying to divert planes. However, Comiso has also been affected by Etna’s plumes, and Palermo has become crowded, “so there are some flights which we have to cancel unfortunately.”

Società Aeroporto Catania, which also operates Comiso airport, said it is coordinating with other airports and authorities to manage the Etna ash emergency. The company is undergoing a sale process, shortlisting 10 suitors last month.

Etna’s frequent eruptions have often hindered flights at Catania. The volcanic ash coats everything from airport runways to patios and swimming pools, and aircraft flying by risk fouling sensitive engine components. 

Tourism accounts for about 4.2% of Sicily’s economy, according to a Unicredit report in March, with an estimated 22.5 million visitors last year. Small-business lobby Confartigianato said separately that tourism, restaurants and hotels were expected to create about 20,000 jobs in the third quarter.

According to preliminary estimates compiled by industry group Assoesercenti, four days of disruption would affect between €13 million (RM61.25 million) and €24 million in tourist spending.

The island needs a permanent, centralised planning body to coordinate between airports, airlines and other businesses to ease the impact of Etna’s eruptions, said Salvo Politino, Assoesercenti’s president.

“We can’t stop the Etna, but we can prepare,” Politino said. “Above all, we can prevent every natural disaster from turning into an economic and image emergency for Sicily.”

Uploaded by Felyx Teoh