Roma, Aug. 13 (LaPresse) – Since the start of the disruption linked to the eruption of Mount Etna on August 6 through yesterday, around 630 flights have been diverted to other airports, while around 710 have been cancelled. This is according to SAC, the company that manages Catania and Comiso airports, which said it is continuing to manage the emergency linked to Mount Etna’s intense eruptive activity, which in recent days has put the entire Sicilian airport system under severe pressure. “Between August 6 and 12, due to the disruption caused by the presence of volcanic ash in the atmosphere, around 630 flights scheduled to operate from Catania Airport were diverted to other airports, allowing connections to remain active and ensuring, as far as possible, continuity of mobility to and from Sicily – the statement reads – During the same period, around 1,974 flights were scheduled at Catania Airport, of which around 36% were cancelled as a result of the evolution of the phenomenon and the necessary operational restrictions.” The figures confirm “the exceptional scale of the emergency, the most severe of the past 20 years in terms of its impact on airport infrastructure, but also the system’s ability to activate alternative solutions and manage, through coordination among Sicilian airports, a significant portion of the flights affected. Managing the diverted flights has in fact required constant coordination among airports, airlines, authorities and operators, with the aim of ensuring the greatest possible continuity of connections and assistance to passengers. In this context, the airports of Comiso, Palermo and Trapani have played a crucial role in absorbing part of the traffic originally bound for Catania. SAC reiterates its commitment to ensuring the protection of infrastructure and coordination with all parties involved, working to enable the airport to return to full operations as soon as conditions permit.”
Etna, Sac: “As of yesterday, around 630 flights diverted to other airports, more than 700 cancelled”
Roma, Aug. 13 (LaPresse) – Since the start of the disruption linked to the eruption of Mount Etna on August 6 through yesterday, around 630 flights have been diverted to other airports, while around 710 have been cancelled. This is according to SAC, the company that manages Catania and Comiso airports, which said it is continuing to manage the emergency linked to Mount Etna’s intense eruptive activity, which in recent days has put the entire Sicilian airport system under severe pressure. “Between August 6 and 12, due to the disruption caused by the presence of volcanic ash in the atmosphere, around 630 flights scheduled to operate from Catania Airport were diverted to other airports, allowing connections to remain active and ensuring, as far as possible, continuity of mobility to and from Sicily – the statement reads – During the same period, around 1,974 flights were scheduled at Catania Airport, of which around 36% were cancelled as a result of the evolution of the phenomenon and the necessary operational restrictions.” The figures confirm “the exceptional scale of the emergency, the most severe of the past 20 years in terms of its impact on airport infrastructure, but also the system’s ability to activate alternative solutions and manage, through coordination among Sicilian airports, a significant portion of the flights affected. Managing the diverted flights has in fact required constant coordination among airports, airlines, authorities and operators, with the aim of ensuring the greatest possible continuity of connections and assistance to passengers. In this context, the airports of Comiso, Palermo and Trapani have played a crucial role in absorbing part of the traffic originally bound for Catania. SAC reiterates its commitment to ensuring the protection of infrastructure and coordination with all parties involved, working to enable the airport to return to full operations as soon as conditions permit.”