After an overnight closure caused by volcanic ash from Mount Etna, Catania’s Vincenzo Bellini Airport resumed normal operations at 11:55 on 30 June 2026, local daily La Sicilia reported. The crisis unit SAC/ENAV lifted flight limits once runway inspections confirmed safe visibility. Yesterday’s shutdown stranded thousands of passengers and forced airlines to divert traffic to Palermo and Comiso. Although airspace is now green, the Civil Protection Department kept a ‘yellow’ alert, meaning carriers must file contingency flight plans for the next 48 hours should ash plumes intensify. Advice for travellers: mobility teams moving staff to Sicily should check NOTAMs and allow extra connection time. Under Italy’s consumer rules, airlines must reimburse ground transportation from diversion airports, but only if passengers keep receipts. Wider context: Etna’s heightened activity comes as southern Italy braces for peak tourist season. Airport authorities are accelerating installation of a real-time ash-detection lidar system, funded by the EU Recovery Plan, to minimise future disruptions.
Source: La Sicilia
