A powerful eruption of Sicily’s Mount Etna has caused disruptions to air traffic across southern Italy, with the Ryanair Budapest-Catania flight among those severely affected. According to the Tudásmorzsák a repülésről Facebook page, the Budapest service has been delayed by around 10 hours due to volcanic ash drifting across the region.
IMPORTANT UPDATE at 8:45 PM
According to information from Budapest Airport, the situation has since changed further: the scheduled Catania flight now appears to have been diverted to Palermo instead, which suggests that the original destination is currently unable to accommodate the service because of the ongoing restrictions.
Highest aviation alert issued after Etna eruption
The eruption began at around 9:00 AM Hungarian time on Sunday, sending a massive ash cloud high into the atmosphere. According to Tudásmorzsák a repülésről, volcanic ash poses a serious hazard to aircraft engines and flight operations. As a result, aviation authorities issued a VONA (Volcano Observatory Notices for Aviation) alert, which tracks the location and movement of volcanic ash clouds.
The Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC) in Toulouse declared the highest, red-level aviation warning after the eruption. The ash cloud is moving southeast at approximately 45 km/h and could reach an altitude of 8,000 metres, directly affecting air routes over Sicily.
Budapest-Catania flight suffers massive delay
According to the aviation-focused Facebook page, EUROCONTROL has reported that Comiso Airport has temporarily suspended operations, while Catania Airport is operating under strict traffic restrictions, allowing only five aircraft movements per hour. These measures have led to significant delays across the region.
The Ryanair Budapest-Catania service, originally scheduled to depart at 11 AM, is currently expected to leave at around 9 PM, resulting in a delay of roughly 10 hours, although the schedule could change depending on volcanic activity.
Italy faces a difficult day for aviation
The disruption is not limited to Sicily. According to Tudásmorzsák a repülésről, Naples Airport was also temporarily closed following an unrelated aviation incident, while Milan Malpensa Airport is expected to be affected by strike action later in the day.
Mount Etna, Europe’s largest active volcano, erupts several times each year, but significant ash emissions frequently force restrictions on nearby air traffic, as volcanic ash can damage aircraft engines and reduce visibility.
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