theintense volcanic activity of the last weeks, which caused concern for the situation of Etna, yesterday it caused the eruption of an ash cloud more than 4 km high, which rose from the crater of the Voragine, and with it a lava plume to the east of the volcano. Ash quickly clouded the skies above the city of Catania, sending the nearby airport operations into a tailspin. Fontanarossa Airport. Here is the latest news for passengers.
Disruptions at Catania-Fontanarossa airport
Precisely the day he left air attack which involves some of the main European airports, theCatania-Fontanarossa Airport he finds himself facing the many misfortunes caused by the eruption of Etna. Already yesterday, shortly after the formation of the massive cloud of ash escaping from the crater, the first disruptions began. Many airlines have canceled their flights before, until the airport itself declarednon-use of certain areas of the airport.
“Because of Etna’s eruptive activity and the context emission of volcanic ash into the atmosphere, the Crisis Unit ordered the closure of airspace sectors B2 and B3. The track is unusable due to a copious fall of volcanic ash on the field and therefore both arrivals and departures are suspended. Flight operations will resume once the volcanic ash has been removed from the planes affected by the aircraft movement. At the moment it is estimated that the flight activity they could resume at 3 p.m” – we read in a press release from Catania airport.
What can the passengers who were departing from or arriving at Fontanarossa? The note advises you not to go to the airport before checking that operations have resumed and that your flight has been confirmed. Travelers who have had their flight canceled can be booked on a new flight. Alternatively, they can independently buy a plane ticket (even with another company) to reach their destination, then request the reimbursement to the carrier for failure to reprotect. However, no financial compensation is provided for the disservices suffered.
What to know for those traveling to Catania
U situation in CataniaFor the moment, it seems to have stabilized: the INGV lowered the alert level for the flight from red to orange, while for the volcanic tremor it fell from red to yellow during the night. This does not mean that the eruption is over, so it is important to continue paying maximum attention – as happened in the archipelago. Aeolian Islands because of the concomitant volcanic activity of Stromboli. There are therefore some precautions to take if you are in Catania.
At the moment, the biggest critical problem concerns theemission of volcanic ash: although they have not been found to be dangerous to health, prolonged exposure could cause “moderate respiratory disorders”, as well as “conjunctivitis and corneal abrasions” – we read on the website of the Civil Protection. In addition, one of the greatest dangers concerns the deposition of ashes on the ground, which requires great care when moving. Therefore, the Mayor Enrico Trantino issued an ordinance banning the movement of two-wheelers for 48 hours and limiting the travel of vehicles to a maximum speed of 30 km/h.