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DISRUPTION APPEARS TO BE MINIMAL ACROSS SICILY 10:51, 03 Jun 2025 Europe's most active volcano erupted yesterday, June 2. Mount Etna located on the east coast of Sicily, Italy, spilled

volcanic material as large plumes of ash were seen rising from it. Geologists monitoring the eruption said it was likely that part of the volcano's crater collapsed and that this was

the material being carried down its slopes. Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) Etna Observatory said a number of explosions of "increasing

intensity" were recorded in the early hours on Monday morning. The full scale of the eruption is currently unclear and disruption appears to be minimal, with flights departing and

arriving at the island's airports. Mount Etna's last notable eruption came in February and caused the island's Catania airport to divert dozens of flights because of ash

clouds. The situation is Sicily has stabilised since yesterday, however 20% of flights arriving are facing delays. This comes just weeks before the summer peak for UK holidaymakers. Experts

at AirAdvisor have analysed the full impact of the eruption, along with what it means for UK holidaymakers. The air passenger rights company believes the timing of the eruption, post-May

bank holiday and pre-July peak could dampen 1–2% of bookings to Sicily (1,000–1,500 UK tourists). Article continues below Flights to Catania are delayed but not cancelled, with nearly 20% of

arrivals facing delays of 20–30 minutes, according to FlightAware. London Stansted and London Gatwick continue operating normal schedules to Catania and Palermo, but passengers should still

monitor their flight status for potential changes. Up to 7,500 UK tourists flying to Sicily this month may face minor delays, especially those headed to Catania. About 5–10% of UK tourists

(2,500–7,500) fly to Sicily in June, based on booking trends, and of these, 1,250–3,750 may have plans to visit Mount Etna, which is currently closed for summit hikes. AirAdvisor says

"passengers are unlikely to need to cancel plans" and popular tourist areas like Taormina, Palermo, and Syracuse are unaffected. Authorities have not issued any travel

restrictions, and the UK Foreign Office’s advice remains unchanged. However, UK tourists with respiratory conditions may want to avoid the Etna region temporarily. TIPS FOR UK TRAVELLERS

HEADING TO AREAS IN OR NEAR SICILY: * Use airline apps and Flightradar24 for real-time updates. * Buy flexible tickets (e.g., Ryanair’s Flexi Plus) for easy rebooking. * Pack essentials

(chargers, medications) in carry-on, in case of baggage delays. * Book airport “Fast Track” services in Catania (£5–£10) to reduce check-in times. * Monitor @INGVvulcani for official

volcanic activity updates. Article continues below Anton Radchenko, Aviation Expert & Founder of AirAdvisor stated: "Natural events like volcanic eruptions can be unpredictable, but

they don’t have to ruin your travel plans. The June 2 Mount Etna eruption has understandably caused concern, but the good news is that Sicily remains open and safe for travel. "So,

there’s no reason for Brits to cancel their Sicily holidays. Airspace is open, and the Mount Etna activity, while newsworthy, is being managed by Italian aviation authorities with high

precision."