Etna erupts for six days; Sicily in chaos with 700 flights canceled

Mount Etna's ongoing eruption has plunged Sicily into a state of emergency, causing widespread flight chaos and impacting tens of thousands of travelers. Between August 8 and 11, approximately 700 flights were canceled or diverted from Catania's Vincenzo Bellini Airport due to the volcanic activity. The airport faced a three-day suspension of flights, extended until the afternoon of the following day, as volcanic ash contaminated the air. Hundreds of departing flights were canceled, and many others were rerouted to alternative airports, including Comiso, Palermo, Trapani, and even Lamezia Terme in Calabria. Comiso Airport also experienced temporary closures due to ashfall but has since resumed full operations. The disruption has led to significant economic concerns, with Assoesercenti estimating potential tourism losses between 12.8 and 24 million euros. The association is urging a shift from emergency management to proactive planning, proposing the creation of a permanent coordination body. The situation has also ignited a political firestorm. Civil Protection Minister Nello Musumeci acknowledged that Sicily has long faced issues related to volcanic activity impacting infrastructure, noting that the airport's location near Etna makes it particularly vulnerable. He recalled a past proposal to relocate the airport to a more suitable plain between Catania and Enna, a plan that did not gain support. This statement drew criticism from opposition figures, including Davide Faraone of Italia Viva, who urged the minister to take action rather than merely point out past issues. The Democratic Party (Pd) criticized the airport management company, SAC, for an "incompetent and inadequate" emergency response, while the Five Star Movement (M5s) called for the dismissal of SAC's leadership due to perceived improvisation and a lack of strategic planning by the regional government.

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The volcano is not out of place, but the airport is.