FLIGHTS have been cancelled at a popular tourist destination this morning after a volcano eruption resulted in the closure of the airport.
As many as 84 flights have been cancelled because of the disruption, affecting thousands of passengers.
Catania Airport on the Italian island of Sicily was forced to shut earlier today (July 5) after Mount Etna, the largest active volcano in Europe, erupted and spewed ash into the sky, disrupting air travel.
Overall, 54 flights due to depart from Catania Airport have been cancelled, which is 43 per cent of all scheduled departures, according to aviation analysts Cirium.
Meanwhile, 30 arrivals have also been cancelled, equalling 24 per cent of all scheduled arrivals.
Ryanair has seen the highest number of cancellations to and from the airport, followed by easyJet and ITA Airways.
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The cancellations have already affected eight outbound flights scheduled from the UK to Catania Airport today.
The 11:55am easyJet flight from Edinburgh has been delayed, along with the 4:20pm easyJet flight from London Gatwick.
Other delays include:
- 6:45pm British Airways flight from London Gatwick
- 9:55pm Jet2 flight from Manchester
The company managing the airport issued a statement, at the time, saying: “The runway at Catania Airport is unusable due to volcanic ash fall: both arrivals and departures are suspended.”
The airport has since reopened the runway on a limited basis, with only two arrivals per hour allowed.
They said: “After completing the initial work to clear the runway and flight infrastructure, the Crisis Unit has ordered the airport to reopen for departures, while arrivals are temporarily limited to two per hour. Updates will follow.”
Passengers are still being told to check the status of their flight before travelling to the airport.
One passenger said he had been left stranded in Catania until “at least Monday”.
He wrote on social media: “Thanks @easyJet for cancelling my flight, leaving me stranded in Catania until Monday at the earliest!”
Flight compensation rules
What are my rights if my flight is cancelled or delayed?
Under UK law, airlines have to provide compensation if your flight arrives at its destination more than three hours late.
If you’re flying to or from the UK, your airline must let you choose a refund or an alternative flight.
You will be able to get your money back for the part of your ticket that you haven’t used yet.
So if you booked a return flight and the outbound leg is cancelled, you can get the full cost of the return ticket refunded.
But if travelling is essential, then your airline has to find you an alternative flight. This could even be with another airline.
When am I not entitled to compensation?
The airline doesn’t have to give you a refund if the flight was cancelled due to reasons beyond their control, such as extreme weather.
Disruptions caused by things like extreme weather, airport or air traffic control employee strikes or other ‘extraordinary circumstances’ are not eligible for compensation.
Some airlines may stretch the definition of the “extraordinary circumstances” but you can challenge them through the aviation regulator the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
Will my insurance cover me if my flight is cancelled?
If you can’t claim compensation directly through the airline, your travel insurance may refund you.
Policies vary so you should check the small print, but a delay of eight to 12 hours will normally mean you qualify for some money from your insurer.
Remember to get written confirmation of your delay from the airport as your insurer will need proof.
If your flight is cancelled entirely, you’re unlikely to be covered by your insurance.
An easyJet spokesperson told Sun Travel: “Due to the eruption of Mount Etna and the subsequent ash cloud close to its runway, Catania airport was temporarily closed meaning all airlines including easyJet were unable to operate flights to and from Catania last night and this morning.
“We have been doing everything possible to minimise the impact for our customers, providing hotel rooms and meals and will be reimbursing anyone who arranges their own.
“For customers whose flights have been cancelled we are providing free transfers to an alternative flight or a refund.
“The safety and wellbeing of our customers and crew is easyJet’s highest priority and while this is outside of our control, we would like to apologise to customers for the inconvenience caused as a result of the eruption.”
Ryanair added: “Due to the eruption of Mt Etna and resulting ash cloud, we have been forced to cancel a small number of flights to/from Catania on Fri 5 July and are monitoring potential disruption to flights still operating.
“Passengers affected by these cancellations have been notified of their options via email.
“All passengers travelling to/from Catania on Fri 5 July should check their Ryanair app for the latest updates on their flight.
“We regret any inconvenience caused to passengers by this volcanic ash, which is outside of Ryanair’s control and affects all airlines operating to/from Catania Fri 5 July.”
Ash plumes shot up into the sky as high as 2.7 miles, Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday.
Footage shared on social media on Friday showed the streets of Catania’s city centre covered in thick layers of black ash, slowing down traffic.
Mount Etna – a 10,905ft volcano – has erupted multiple times in recent decades.
Italian authorities also issued a red warning for another volcano north of Sicily, Stromboli – on the island of the same name – whose eruption created ash clouds.
Mount Stromboli is known for being one of the only nearly constantly active volcanoes in the world, according to the INGV.
Millions of passengers transit through Catania Airport every year, connecting them to eastern Sicily, among Italy’s most popular tourist hotspots.
Brits heading to Italy had been issued with new travel advice earlier this year, after the country was hit by its “strongest earthquake in 40 years” right next to a volcano.
The Foreign Office updated its advice for anyone travelling to southern Italy after an area near Naples experienced a rise in seismic activity.
Meanwhile, these baggage handler strikes in Italy are also be set to cause problems for holidaymakers this summer.
And walkouts at this UK airport will also disrupt people’s holiday plans.