Etna ash shuts Catania airport until Aug. 15, snarling Sicily travel
What's new: Hundreds of flights have been canceled or rerouted for more than a week, with knock-on delays reaching Malta and Palermo.
Flights at Catania airport in Sicily will remain suspended until early Aug. 15 as ash from Mount Etna continues to disrupt airspace over eastern Sicily. Airport operator SAC said arrivals at Italy's fifth-busiest airport by passenger traffic are halted through 2 a.m. local time on Friday, after earlier restrictions were repeatedly extended. The closure has forced hundreds of flights to be canceled or diverted during the peak summer holiday season, affecting thousands of travelers. Palermo airport has absorbed 190 flights in recent days, while Comiso was also used to take overflow traffic after temporary disruptions. Ash drifting south also caused cancellations and delays in Malta.