Flights at Catania airport in Sicily remained suspended on Thursday (August 13) because of ash from Mount Etna's ongoing volcanic activity, which has forced hundreds of flights to be cancelled or rerouted over the past week.

All arrivals and departures at the island hub, Italy's fifth-busiest airport by passenger traffic, will be suspended through 2 a.m. local time on Friday (August 14), airport operator SAC said in a statement.

Passengers were advised to check the status of their flights with their airlines before travelling to the airport.

The prolonged restrictions come at the height of the summer holiday season, affecting thousands of passengers, and have placed additional pressure on Sicily's other airports.

"We would have appreciated more assistance from the airline," said Emanuela Monaco, one of several passengers trying to reach another airport after her scheduled flight was disrupted.

Mount Etna, Europe's highest and most active volcano, frequently disrupts operations at Catania airport. However, Marco Viccaro, president of the Italian Volcanological Association, said the activity that began on August 6 is more energetic than previous episodes and is continuing in a sustained way.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

Etna's ash keeps Catania airport shut until Friday, disrupting summer travel

VIDEO SHOWS: SCENES FROM CATANIA AIRPORT AS FLIGHTS ARE DISRUPTED DUE TO VOLCANIC ACTIVITY ON MOUNT ETNA / COMMENTS BY STRANDED PASSENGERS

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: CATANIA, ITALY (AUGUST 13, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. TIMETABLE SHOWING DISRUPTED FLIGHTS

2. VARIOUS OF PASSENGERS MOVING INSIDE AIRPORT

3. WOMAN LOOKING AT PHONE

4. PEOPLE SITTING IN TERMINAL

5. PEOPLE QUEUING FOR BAG DROP

6. PEOPLE SITTING IN TERMINAL

7. PEOPLE STANDING NEAR BUSES OUTSIDE AIRPORT

8. PEOPLE CROSSING AS BUS APPROACHES

9. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE NEAR BUSES

10. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) STRANDED PASSENGERS, EMANUELA MONACO AND FRANCESCA RICCI, SAYING:

MONACO: "We are on our way to Rome."

RICCI: "Rome Fiumicino. Unfortunately, our flight has been cancelled. The only good thing is that we had, we have a later flight, so we'll manage to get to the other airport in time."

MONACO: "We would have appreciated more assistance from the airline because, unfortunately, no transfer was arranged for us."

11. SIGN READING "CATANIA" / PEOPLE WALKING ON PAVEMENT

12. PEOPLE ENTERING AIRPORT

13. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE STANDING INSIDE TERMINAL

14. BAG DROP AREA

15. PEOPLE LYING ON BENCHES

16. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE STANDING IN TERMINAL

17. BUSES PARKED OUTSIDE AIRPORT

18. PEOPLE WALKING NEAR BUSES