The situation is gradually returning to normalCatania-Fontanarossa Airport. Starting 14 pm: 00 (local time), flight activities have officially resumed, both departures and arrivals, after the heavy disruption caused by the eruptive activity of theEtna.
Despite the restoration of runways and airport operations, they could still delays or changes may occur Due to the previous closure and the increased air traffic at this time, the management company strongly urges all travelers to check the status of their flight by contacting their airline directly before traveling to the airport.
Catania Airport: Sectors C1 and B3 reopen; alert level lowered to "Orange."
La Bags, the management company of the Catania airport, has arranged the reopening strategic of the sectors C1 and B3The measure was triggered following the downgrading of the volcanic alert, which went from the maximum level 'Red' (Red) to the 'Orange' one (OrangeStefano Branca, Director of the Volcanoes Department at the INGV (National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology), also confirmed the marked improvement in conditions. Speaking to SkyTG24, Branca reassured passengers and operators by declaring that, at the moment, "there is no more ash in the atmosphere."
Record stop: the airport closed for over a week
Today's reopening puts an end to the longest emergency linked to Mount Etna since 2002. The Etna airport has undergone consecutive and intermittent closures for over a week starting from August 7, 2026, culminating in a total and continuous blockade that lasted 5 whole days before the afternoon green light. The prolonged accumulation of volcanic ash on the slopes and in the atmosphere has resulted in a very heavy toll, with over 700 flights cancelled or rescheduled Overall, hundreds of flights were diverted to the Sicilian airports of Palermo, Comiso, and Trapani, as well as the Calabrian airport of Lamezia Terme, causing an overall economic loss estimated at around €20 million.
