Mount Etna eruption triggers aviation warning

On Monday (2 June 2025) Mount Etna, one of the tallest active volcanos in Europe erupted, sending tourists fleeing for their lives. The volcano erupts regularly and is said to cause little disruption to the surrounding area and it is generally considered safe to visit Sicily while the Etna is erupting.

Are flights affected?

Catania –Fontanarossa Airport (CTA) – also known as Vincenzo Bellini Airport is Sicily’s most popular airport serving the island and is located at the foot of Mount Etna which gives arriving and departing passengers a great view of the volcano. 

Despite Catania Airport experiencing a few minor delays on Monday when the volcano erupted, all four of Sicily’s airports – including Comiso (CIY), Falcone–Borsellino (PMO), and Vincenzo Florio (TPS) – remain fully operational and flights are continuing as normal.

Dr. Stuart Black, Head of the School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science at the University of Reading, said: “Mount Etna is Europe’s largest and most active volcano and is currently experiencing strombolian-scale eruptions—a relatively moderate type of volcanic activity characterised by explosive bursts that typically eject material 2-3 km into the atmosphere. While this sounds dramatic, the current activity is unlikely to cause the large-scale climate perturbations we’ve seen from other major volcanic events.

“The immediate concern is air traffic disruption. Commercial aircraft typically fly at similar altitudes as where the volcanic material is reaching, so persistent activity could force flight rerouting in the region. However, most volcanic episodes like this are fairly short-lived… Unlike the 2010 Icelandic eruptions, which delivered gases at low atmospheric levels, Etna’s emissions are dispersing high in the atmosphere, which reduces immediate ground-level impacts but will require sophisticated atmospheric modelling to track…The volcano has been continuously active for over 2,000 years with regular eruptions, making it one of the world’s most studied and predictable volcanic systems. Weather patterns over the next two to three days will be crucial in determining ash dispersal patterns and any potential impacts on aviation routes.”

International Airport Review will keep an eye on the situation and update this page accordingly.