Mount Etna's renewed volcanic activity has once again brought Sicily's main air gateway to a standstill. Catania-Fontanarossa airport suspended all arrivals and departures on Saturday, with operations officially halted until 23:59 on Sunday 27 September. The airport management company, Sac, cited heavy ash emissions and unfavourable winds as the reason for closing the airspace.
The initial suspension, first announced until midday, was extended as the volcano continued to spew ash. Sac urged passengers to check with their airlines before heading to the terminal, but the disruption has already rippled across the island's transport network.
Diversions create chaos at other Sicilian airports
With Catania closed, dozens of flights were diverted to Comiso, Palermo, and Trapani, quickly overwhelming those smaller facilities. Thousands of travellers found themselves stranded, scrambling for alternative connections. The knock-on effect turned a logistical problem into an economic and labour dispute, as ground crews and airline staff bore the brunt of passenger frustration.
Trade unions, including Filt Cgil, Fit Cisl, and Uiltrasporti Sicilia, described the situation as "total chaos." They argue that Etna's eruptions are now a structural feature of Sicilian life, not an unforeseeable event, and that the lack of a permanent contingency plan is inexcusable. "Those paying the highest price are airline and ground staff, forced to face passengers' exasperation in conditions of extreme stress and without clear guidelines," the unions said in a joint statement.
The unions are pressing the regional government to sign a standing protocol that would establish reliable operational flows and adequate protections, moving beyond what they call the "ineffective logic of constant emergency."
Fears of fare speculation
The paralysis has also triggered warnings about price gouging. Acli Terra, an agricultural association, reported abnormal increases on flights to and from the island, citing an extreme example of a Verona–Palermo route priced at around 1,180 euros. The association called on authorities to monitor fares, insisting that a natural emergency must not become an economic burden for families.
"The ability to manage recurring events directly affects the credibility and reputation of the Sicilian system as a whole," Acli Terra said in a statement.
The incident echoes similar disruptions at other European airports, where drone incidents and equipment failures have caused widespread travel chaos. While those events were resolved relatively quickly, the recurring nature of Etna's eruptions poses a unique challenge for Sicily's infrastructure.
For travellers, the immediate advice is to stay in contact with airlines and consider alternative routes. But the longer-term question remains: can Sicily's airports cope with a volcano that shows no signs of calming down? As one union official put it, "We need a plan that treats Etna as a permanent neighbour, not a surprise guest."
