Uk tourists given summer holiday advice following mount etna eruption

THE ERUPTION OF MOUNT ETNA EARLIER THIS WEEK SHOWED TERRIFYING SCENES OF TOURISTS FLEEING FROM THE ASH CLOUD. 13:45, 03 Jun 2025 Early on Monday (June 2), Mount Etna, Europe's most

active volcano, erupted. The strongest blast in four years sent ash clouds and pyroclastic flows across Sicily's eastern region, a popular tourist destination in Italy. The eruption

initially raised alarms across the region, leading to a red aviation warning at one point. The situation has since stabilised, though not without travel disruption. Catania Airport, less

than 30 miles from Etna, remains open despite earlier disruption. However, 20% of arriving flights are still facing delays. The eruption occurred just weeks before the summer travel peak,

and could impact over 5,000 UK tourists bound for Sicily. The eruption has naturally led to a lot of worry among Brits who have booked for the Italian coast, but travel advice company

AirAdvisor have analysed the full impact of the eruption, along with what it means for UK holidaymakers - Here are the key takeaways from the analysis: The eruption is moderate but timed

dangerously close to the summer getaway. While Mount Etna's volcanic activity isn't unusual (186 eruptions since 1500 BC), the timing post-May bank holiday and pre-July peak could

dampen 1–2% of bookings to Sicily (1,000–1,500 UK tourists), amounting to a potential £1–2M in lost revenue. Flights to Catania are delayed but not cancelled, with nearly 20% of arrivals

facing delays of 20–30 minutes, per 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. Article continues below 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, historical data & flight volumes), and of these, 1,250–3,750 may have plans to visit Mount Etna, which is

currently closed for summit hikes, per INGV. WE HAVE A DEDICATED NEWSLETTER FOR CHRONICLELIVE’S MONEY-SAVING AND COST OF LIVING STORIES. IT’S FREE AND YOU CAN SIGN UP TO RECEIVE IT HERE. IT

WILL KEEP YOU UP TO DATE WITH ALL THE LATEST MONEY NEWS AND BUDGETING TIPS AS WELL AS STORIES ON THE COST OF LIVING CRISIS IN OUR REGION. UK tourists are unlikely to need to cancel plans.

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, including asthma, COPD and others may want to avoid the Etna region temporarily. Passengers have rights under EU261. While compensation for

delays isn't applicable (volcanic activity is considered an "extraordinary circumstance"), passengers are still entitled to the following: * Meals and refreshments for delays

over 2 hours * Accommodation and transfers for overnight delays * Free rebooking or a full refund for cancellations or delays over 5 hours AirAdvisor recommends the following tips for UK

travellers: use airline apps and Flightradar24 for real-time updates, buy flexible tickets 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 Dr Stuart

Black, geological expert at the University of Reading warned that "Commercial aircraft typically fly at similar altitudes as where the volcanic material is reaching, so persistent

activity could force flight rerouting in the region". Though, if the activity subsides, before the tourist season, there should be no major impact on people's holiday plans, or to

life in Sicily. Aviation expert Anton Radchenko advises tourists: "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." Tours of the mountain have resumed today as the region returns to normal. Etna is a very active volcano, but hasn't experienced major activity for

some years now, the eruption on Monday being a Strombolian eruption. These typically involve moderate bursts of expanding gases that eject clots of incandescent lava in cyclical or nearly

continuous small eruptions