FLIGHTS were canceled at a popular tourist destination this morning after a volcanic eruption resulted in the airport closing.
Around 84 flights were canceled due to the disruption, affecting thousands of passengers.
6
6
6
Catania airport on the Italian island of Sicily was forced to close today (July 5) after Mount Etna, Europe’s largest active volcano, erupted and spewed ash into the sky, disrupting air travel.
Overall, 54 flights departing from Catania airport were cancelled, representing 43% of all scheduled departures, according to aviation analysts. Taper.
However, 30 arrivals were also cancelled, which equates to 24% of all scheduled arrivals.
Ryanair recorded the highest number of cancellations to and from the airport, followed by easyJet and ITA Airways.
The cancellations have already affected eight outbound flights scheduled today from the UK to Catania airport.
The 11.55am easyJet flight from Edinburgh was delayed, along with the 4.20pm easyJet flight from London Gatwick.
Other delays include:
- 6:45pm, British Airways flight from London Gatwick
- 9:55 p.m., Jet2 flight from Manchester
The airport’s management company issued a statement at the time, stating: “The runway at Catania airport is unusable due to volcanic ashfall: both arrivals and departures are suspended.”
The airport has since reopened the runway on a limited basis, with only two arrivals permitted per hour.
They said: “After completing initial work to clear the runway and flight infrastructure, the Crisis Unit has ordered the airport to reopen for departures, while arrivals are temporarily limited to two per hour.
Passengers are still instructed to check their flight status before traveling to the airport.
One passenger said he was stuck in Catania until “at least Monday”.
He wrote on social media: “Thank you @easyJet for canceling my flight, leaving me stranded in Catania until Monday at the earliest!”
Flight compensation rules
What are my rights if my flight is canceled or delayed?
Under UK law, airlines have to provide compensation if your flight arrives at your destination more than three hours late.
If you are flying to or from the UK, your airline must allow you to choose a refund or alternative flight.
You will be able to receive money back for the part of the ticket that you have not yet used.
So if you’ve booked a return flight and the outbound flight is cancelled, you can get a full refund of the cost of your return ticket.
But if travel is essential, your airline must find you an alternative flight. This could even be with another airline.
When am I not entitled to compensation?
The airline does not have to refund you if your flight is canceled for reasons beyond your control, such as extreme weather conditions.
Disruptions caused by extreme weather, airport or air traffic control employee strikes, or other “extraordinary circumstances” are not eligible for compensation.
Some airlines may broaden the definition of “extraordinary circumstances”, but you can challenge them through the aviation regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
Will my insurance cover me if my flight is cancelled?
If you are unable to claim compensation directly through the airline, your travel insurance may reimburse you.
Policies vary, so you’ll want to check the fine print, but a delay of eight to 12 hours usually means you qualify for some money from your insurer.
Remember to get written confirmation of your airport delay, as your insurer will need proof.
If your flight is canceled entirely, it is unlikely that you will be covered by your insurance.
An easyJet spokesperson told Sun Travel: “Due to the eruption of Mount Etna and the subsequent ash cloud near its runway, Catania airport has been temporarily closed, meaning all airlines, including easyJet, have were unable to operate flights to and from Catania last night and this morning.
“We have done everything we can to minimize the impact on our customers by providing hotel rooms and meals and will reimburse those who provide theirs.
“For customers whose flights have been cancelled, we are offering free transportation to an alternative flight or refund.
“The safety and well-being of our customers and crew is easyJet’s highest priority and whilst this is beyond our control, we would like to apologize to customers for any inconvenience caused as a result of the eruption.”
Ryanair added: “Due to the eruption of Mount Etna and the resulting ash cloud, we have been forced to cancel a small number of flights to/from Catania on Friday 5th July and are monitoring possible disruptions to flights still in progress. operation.
“Passengers affected by these cancellations have been notified of their options via email.
“All passengers traveling to/from Catania on Friday 5th July should check the Ryanair app for the latest updates on their flight.
“We regret any inconvenience caused to passengers by this volcanic ash, which is beyond the control of Ryanair and affects all airlines operating to/from Catania on Friday 5 July.”
Plumes of ash rose into the sky to a height of 4.4 kilometers, Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday.
Images shared on social media on Friday showed the streets of Catania city center covered in thick layers of black ash, slowing traffic.
Mount Etna – a 10,905-foot volcano – has erupted several times in recent decades.
Italian authorities also issued a red alert for another volcano north of Sicily, Stromboli – on the island of the same name – whose eruption created ash clouds.
Mount Stromboli is known for being one of the only almost constantly active volcanoes in the world, according to INGV.
Millions of passengers transit through Catania Airport every year, connecting them to eastern Sicily, one of Italy’s most popular tourist spots.
Brits traveling to Italy were given new travel advice earlier this year after the country was hit by the “strongest earthquake in 40 years” right next to a volcano.
The Foreign Office has updated its advice for anyone traveling to southern Italy after an area near Naples experienced an increase in seismic activity.
Meanwhile, these baggage handler strikes in Italy are also likely to cause problems for tourists this summer.
And strikes at this UK airport will also disrupt people’s holiday plans.
6
6
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
