Etna is the largest active volcano in Europe. The latest activity has been unusual for its persistence and sustained ash emissions. Northerly winds have spread light amounts of ash to Malta and northern Africa.
“There have been many shorter interruptions – and stronger eruptions – over the past few decades, but this event is different because the ash emission from Etna’s summit has been much more persistent,” Behncke said.
The closure has forced planes to be rerouted to other airports on the island, which has pushed up taxi fares and car rental prices, according to the Corriere della Sera daily. The Codacons consumer association has announced it will file a complaint with Italy’s competition authority following complaints about price gouging.
The SAC airport operator said 36 per cent of nearly 2,000 flights scheduled to arrive in Catania from Aug 6 to Aug 12 had been cancelled, while more than 600 were diverted to Palermo, Trapani and Comiso in Sicily and Lamezia Terme in Calabria. Flights were able to depart Catania over the weekend, but the airport was officially closed to both incoming and outgoing flights Monday. Comiso also was briefly closed.
The Italian train company Trenitalia has added six trains along the Palermo-Messina-Catania route to help ease the travel pressure.
