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Etna eruption disrupts flights, draws crowds; airport closure continues
🇩🇪 Germany /Disasters & Emergencies

Etna eruption disrupts flights, draws crowds; airport closure continues

From Die Zeit · () German

Translated from German, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Mount Etna's ongoing eruption has disrupted air traffic at Catania Airport, which remains closed.
  • Economic damages from flight cancellations and disruptions are estimated between 12 and 24 million euros.
  • Volcanic experts state the eruption is not unusual for Etna but the wind direction is causing significant ashfall at the airport.

Mount Etna's persistent eruption continues to disrupt air travel, with Catania Airport remaining closed and flight bans extended until Friday at 2:00 AM. The ongoing volcanic activity has led to significant economic repercussions, with the trade association Assoesercenti estimating damages between 12 and 24 million euros due to flight cancellations and disruptions.

The duration of the airport's closure is uncertain and depends on Etna's activity. Stefano Branca, director of the volcanology department at the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), told Corriere della Sera that the end of the eruption cannot be predicted. While Branca noted that eruptive activity is "slightly declining," he emphasized the inherent uncertainty, stating, "The only certainty is that there are no certainties."

We cannot know how long the activity of Etna will last.

— Stefano BrancaDirector of the Volcanology Department at the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), commenting on the unpredictable duration of the eruption.

Airport operators and the INGV are in close contact, with authorities making decisions on closures based on wind direction and airborne ash concentration. The airport operator has had to extend the closure multiple times due to heavy ash emissions, affecting hundreds of flights since last Friday and forcing tens of thousands of travelers to alter their plans.

The only certainty is that there are no certainties.

— Stefano BrancaINGV volcanologist emphasizing the unpredictable nature of volcanic activity.

Despite the initial chaos, the situation at Catania Airport has somewhat calmed, with passengers checking flight statuses before arriving and transfers to other airports being organized. However, long queues at information desks persist, and some individuals are staying overnight awaiting updates.

Volcanic experts like Branca are not surprised by the current activity, describing it as a "small eruption, smaller than others that took place just six months ago." The current ashfall impacting the airport is attributed to an unfavorable wind direction rather than the eruption's intensity. Meanwhile, the volcano remains a major tourist attraction, with mountain guides reportedly overwhelmed by requests for tours.

Etna always behaves like this. This is a small eruption, smaller than others that took place just six months ago.

— Stefano BrancaINGV expert downplaying the unusual nature of the current eruption itself.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Die Zeit in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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