Etna Ash Keeps Catania Airport Closed for a Third Day: What to Do If You Fly to Sicily

Etna ash keeps Catania closed

Catania's Fontanarossa airport has now been shut for three consecutive days because of ash from Mount Etna, according to Wanted in Rome. Operator SAC extended the closure of the airspace sector until at least midnight on Monday 28 September, so both arrivals and departures are suspended.

Sicily's busiest airport has no easy substitute. Of the three diversion airports, Comiso, in the south-east, is the closest to Catania, while Palermo and Trapani sit on the far side of the island.

What to do if you are flying in

Check your airline's app and the airport status page before you set off for any airport, and again on the morning of travel. When a flight is cancelled, airlines normally offer a rebooking or a refund, but what you get depends on the airline and the fare. That is a general summary, not legal advice.

If your plan hinges on landing in Catania and driving north the same day, build in a buffer day. Ash closures here have run for several days at a time, and landing in Palermo or Trapani adds hours of ground travel before you reach the east coast or the Aeolian ferries. Our Sicily guide covers the main bases.

October strikes in Tuscany

Florence tram services face a 24-hour strike on 10 October 2026, The Florentine reports, part of a wider month of disruption to transport and public services across Tuscany. Read the operator's notice a few days ahead and keep a bus or walking plan for anything time-critical, including airport runs.

If you are in Florence or elsewhere in Tuscany that day, treat the timetable as a suggestion rather than a promise.