Catania Fontanarossa airport is to
remain closed until 8 pm local time on Monday following the
eruption of nearby Mount Etna, airport manager Sac has said.
Sac had initially suspended all arriving and departing flights
at the airport until 1 pm after the eruption on Sunday night
sent a cloud of volcanic ash into the sky.
On Monday morning, air passengers reported that the airport
website was not working properly and that it did not provide the
necessary information about flight cancellations and
rescheduling.
Monday's temporary closure comes on the heels of prolonged
disruptions at the airport following a fire at the arrivals
terminal in July, which had a knock-on effect on travel to and
from the Italian island region during the peak summer season.
Meanwhile, Catania city council has banned two-wheel vehicles
from circulating within the municipality and introduced a 30 km
per hour speed limit for four-wheel vehicles for 48 hours due to
the presence on the roads of volcanic ash.
Clean-up efforts are underway.
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