BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 15. Sicily’s Catania airport has resumed flight operations after authorities downgraded the aviation alert level for Mount Etna from red to orange following a reduction in the risk associated with the volcano’s recent activity.
The airport announced on Saturday that departing and arriving flights had restarted from 12:00 GMT following the change in the volcanic aviation alert.
Ash from eruptions at Mount Etna had disrupted air travel across Sicily over the past week, forcing the cancellation or rerouting of hundreds of flights.
The airport had faced repeated operational restrictions as volcanic ash affected the airspace around Catania, one of Sicily’s main gateways for international and domestic travellers.
The downgrade from red to orange allowed aviation authorities to ease the restrictions and restore normal flight operations, although the situation remains subject to further changes depending on Mount Etna’s activity.
Mount Etna is one of Europe’s most active volcanoes, and eruptions can quickly affect aviation in eastern Sicily because volcanic ash poses a serious risk to aircraft engines and flight operations.
The resumption of flights is expected to ease disruptions for thousands of passengers who have faced delays, cancellations and rerouting during the latest volcanic episode.
