Reuters. Flights at Catania airport in Sicily remained suspended on Thursday (August 13) because of ash from Mount Etna's ongoing volcanic activity, which has forced hundreds of flights to be cancelled or rerouted over the past week.
All arrivals and departures at the island hub, Italy's fifth-busiest airport by passenger traffic, will be suspended through 2 a.m. local time on Friday (August 14), airport operator SAC said in a statement.
Passengers were advised to check the status of their flights with their airlines before travelling to the airport.
The prolonged restrictions come at the height of the summer holiday season, affecting thousands of passengers, and have placed additional pressure on Sicily's other airports.
"We would have appreciated more assistance from the airline," said Emanuela Monaco, one of several passengers trying to reach another airport after her scheduled flight was disrupted.
Mount Etna, Europe's highest and most active volcano, frequently disrupts operations at Catania airport. However, Marco Viccaro, president of the Italian Volcanological Association, said the activity that began on August 6 is more energetic than previous episodes and is continuing in a sustained way.
