An ash plume streaming from Mount Etna across eastern Sicily, photographed from the International Space Station

Etna Ash Shuts Catania Airport Until Sunday: Red Alert Over Sicily

by Fortuna Leroy | Sep 26, 2026 | Mondo dell'aviazione, Notizia | 0 comments

Sicily's busiest airport has shut again. On Saturday 26 September, ash from Mount Etna's North-East Crater forced Catania-Fontanarossa Airport to stop all flights, first until the afternoon and then until noon on Sunday 27 September.

A violent overnight thunderstorm had already slowed arrivals. Then Italy's volcano observatory raised its aviation alert to red, the highest level, as an eruption column rose about 4 km above the crater. For thousands of passengers at the end of the summer season, that meant diversions to the other side of the island, or no flight at all.

Informazioni rapide

Aeroporto: Catania-Fontanarossa (Vincenzo Bellini), Sicily's busiest
Causa: Ash from Etna's North-East Crater, eruption column about 4 km high
Alert: INGV aviation notice (VONA) at red, the highest of four levels
Closure: All flights suspended from Saturday 26 September until 12:00 local time on Sunday 27 September
Spazio aereo: Sector C1 closed; aeroTELEGRAPH also reports sector B3
Diversions: Before the full closure, ten flights diverted: five to Palermo, three to Trapani, two to Comiso (ANSA)
This year: Closures also in August and on 14 September 2026

From Slowdown to Shutdown

According to Italian news agency ANSA, the day began with restrictions rather than a closure. After the storm, Catania was limited to four landings an hour instead of the usual twelve, and ten flights were diverted: five to Palermo, three to Trapani and two to Comiso. One Volotea flight to Verona was moved to depart from Comiso instead.

Then the ash arrived. The National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) reported ash emission from the North-East Crater and a 4 km eruption column, and issued a red VONA, the Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation. Airport operator SAC closed the airspace sector over the airport and ordered zero arrivals and zero departures, initially until 16:00. The suspension was later extended to Sunday midday.

“Due to the emission of volcanic ash into the atmosphere, the closure of the airspace corresponding to sector C1 has been ordered.”

SAC — operator of Catania Airport, statement as reported by Open (translated from Italian)

SAC advised passengers to check the status of their flight with their airline before travelling to the airport.

The terminal at Catania-Fontanarossa Airport — The terminal at Catania-Fontanarossa, Sicily's busiest airport, photographed in 2024. Photo: Sharon Hahn Darlin / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

A Summer of Closures

This is not a one-off. Reuters describes Etna's ash emissions as particularly intense this summer. Catania suspended flights in August, when euronews reported the ash cloud drifting as far as Libya, and again on 14 September. For airlines and tour operators serving eastern Sicily, Etna has become a recurring operational risk, not an exception.

euronews on the August 2026 eruption, when Catania closed and the ash cloud reached as far as Libya.

Why Airports Close for Ash

Volcanic ash is not smoke. It is made of tiny particles of rock and glass that melt inside a jet engine's hot section and solidify again on the turbine parts, choking the engine. Ash also sandblasts windscreens, contaminates air data probes and settles on runways. That is why aviation treats even a moderate ash cloud with such caution.

Aviation learned this the hard way. In 1982 a British Airways 747 lost all four engines after flying into ash from Galunggung in Indonesia, a story told in La notte in cui un Boeing 747 perse tutti e quattro i motori. In 1989 a KLM 747 did the same over Alaska. Both crews restarted engines and landed safely, and today's VONA alerts and closures are a direct result of those near misses.

For Catania, the forecast depends on the wind as much as the volcano. If the plume keeps drifting south over the airport, Sunday's reopening could slip again.

Sources: ANSA, Reuters via Al Arabiya, aeroTELEGRAPH, Open, ilSicilia, Bloomberg, Al Jazeera, euronews

Domande frequenti

Why is Catania airport closed on 26 September 2026?

Catania-Fontanarossa Airport suspended all flights on 26 September 2026 because of volcanic ash from Mount Etna's North-East Crater. Italy's INGV raised its aviation alert to red, and the airport operator closed the airspace sector over the airport.

When will Catania airport reopen?

Flights were suspended until 12:00 local time on Sunday 27 September 2026. Reopening depends on Etna's activity and the wind direction, so passengers should check with their airline before travelling to the airport.

Where were Catania flights diverted?

Before the full closure, ten flights were diverted from Catania on 26 September: five to Palermo, three to Trapani and two to Comiso, according to ANSA. One Volotea flight to Verona departed from Comiso instead.

What is a red VONA alert?

A VONA, or Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation, tells airlines and air traffic control about volcanic activity. Red is the highest of four colour levels and means an eruption is under way with significant ash emission into the atmosphere.

Why is volcanic ash dangerous for aircraft?

Volcanic ash consists of tiny rock and glass particles that melt in a jet engine's hot section and resolidify on turbine parts, which can shut the engine down. It also abrades windscreens and blocks air data probes. In 1982 a British Airways 747 lost all four engines in volcanic ash over Indonesia.

How often does Etna close Catania airport?

Frequently. In 2026 alone, Catania suspended flights because of Etna ash in August, on 14 September and again on 26 September. Mount Etna is Europe's most active volcano and lies only about 30 km from the airport.