Tens of 1000’s of travellers as a result of fly to or from airports in japanese Sicily have seen their flights diverted or cancelled because of the eruption of Etna.
An ash plume from the three,357m volcano unfold throughout japanese a part of the island.
Catania airport, which usually handles round 200 flights every day in August, closed after the arrival of a flight from Casablanca at 2.38am native time on Monday.
The airport, which is the primary entry level to Sicily, is about 50km south of Etna.
The 6.30am easyJet flight from London Gatwick to Catania is presently being held on the bottom on the Sussex airport, with an estimated arrival time of 8pm – over 9 hours delayed.
The airline instructed passengers: “We’re sorry that your flight has been delayed. This is because volcanic activity in Catania is causing restrictions to the areas in which aircraft are permitted to fly.
“The safety of you and our crew is our highest priority and we thank you for your patience.”
British Airways had a 7.10am departure from Gatwick to Catania, which can also be displaying a delay of 9 hours.
Seven Ryanair flights as a result of land at Catania on Monday morning have been diverted to Trapani airport on the far west of Sicily.
The service instructed travellers: “Due to the eruption of Mount Etna, we would like to advise all passengers traveling to and from Catania on 14 August of possible delays, diversion or cancellations to flights.
“Affected passengers will be notified as soon as possible
“Ryanair apologises for the disruptions caused by this volcanic eruption which is outside of our control.”
Dozens of different flights have been cancelled, together with not less than 10 ITA flights between Rome and Catania.
The morning wave of exits from Catania was as a result of start at 6am, with all 10 flights within the first hour cancelled.
Later flights are scheduled from Catania to Bristol, Edinburgh, Gatwick (two departures) and Luton on easyJet, in addition to BA and Wizz Air flights to Gatwick. In complete, over 1,000 passengers are as a result of fly again from the Italian island on Monday.
Catania airport was briefly closed between mid-July and early August due to hearth injury.
Comiso airport, which is round 150km from Etna, is presently closed with flights meant to reach there displaying delays of a number of hours.
Under European air passengers’ rights guidelines, travellers whose flights are closely delayed or cancelled are entitled to inns and meals as acceptable.
In 2010 the eruption of an Icelandic volcano introduced aviation in northern Europe to a halt for nearly per week.