Hundreds of Travelers Disrupted Over Europe Amid Mount Etna Eruption as Catania, Rome and More Airports Face 305 Cancellations and 3,101 Delays

As the Mount Etna eruption caused severe flight disruptions at Catania, Rome, and other airports throughout Europe, hundreds of travelers experienced significant disruptions. Aviation operations were impacted by the ash clouds emitted by the volcanic activity, which resulted in schedule adjustments and safety-related limitations for airlines. Passengers experienced concern as a result of airports reporting 3,101 delays and 305 cancellations. Additionally, because of the knock-on effects on aircraft rotations and connecting routes around Europe, the impact extended to several countries, including the Netherlands, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, the UK, Finland, Portugal, Ireland, Austria, Latvia and Malta. Due to its proximity to Mount Etna, Catania was under the most pressure; operational difficulties were also observed at Rome and other major airports. The disruption serves as a reminder of how quickly natural disasters can impact European air travel networks.

Airports, Cities and Countries Across Europe Impacted by Disruptions

The disruption affected some of Europe’s busiest aviation centres, creating pressure on passenger movement across multiple cities and countries.

In the Netherlands, Amsterdam Schiphol Airport recorded the highest number of delays among the listed airports, with 331 delays and 23 cancellations. As a major European connecting hub, disruptions at Schiphol can influence flights across the continent.

In France, Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport reported 273 delays and 31 cancellations, while Paris Orly recorded 146 delays and 4 cancellations. Other French airports, including Marseille Provence, also experienced disruption with 52 delays and 3 cancellations.

Italy saw significant operational challenges. Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport recorded 278 delays and 23 cancellations, while Milan Malpensa reported 126 delays and 15 cancellations. Naples recorded 72 delays and 4 cancellations, Venice Marco Polo experienced 62 delays and 7 cancellations, and Turin recorded 18 delays and 8 cancellations.

Catania-Fontanarossa Airport in Sicily reported a different pattern, with 16 delays and 98 cancellations, making it one of the airports with the highest cancellation impact in the data provided.

In Spain, Barcelona International Airport recorded 257 delays and 17 cancellations, affecting one of the country’s busiest travel gateways.

Germany’s major airports also experienced disruption. Frankfurt reported 180 delays and 3 cancellations, Munich recorded 115 delays and 3 cancellations, Düsseldorf saw 105 delays and 3 cancellations, and Berlin-Brandenburg reported 119 delays and 4 cancellations.

The United Kingdom also faced flight interruptions. London Heathrow recorded 147 delays and 8 cancellations, while London Gatwick reported 115 delays and 9 cancellations. Edinburgh Airport recorded 71 delays and 4 cancellations.

Other affected locations included Lisbon in Portugal with 146 delays and 4 cancellations, Helsinki in Finland with 82 delays and 8 cancellations, Dublin in Ireland with 65 delays and 5 cancellations, Stockholm-Arlanda in Sweden with 59 delays and 3 cancellations, and Basel-Mulhouse with 47 delays and 4 cancellations.

Airport	Origin cancellations %	Destination cancellations %
Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS)	1%	1%
Stockholm-Arlanda (ARN)	0%	—
Barcelona Int’l (BCN)	1%	1%
Berlin-Brandenburg (BER)	0%	0%
Orio al Serio Int’l (BGY)	1%	—
Charles de Gaulle/Roissy (CDG)	2%	2%
Catania-Fontanarossa Airport (CTA)	44%	35%
Dublin Int’l (DUB)	0%	0%
Dusseldorf Int’l (DUS)	—	0%
Basle-Mulhouse (EAP)	1%	—
Edinburgh (EDI)	0%	0%
Leonardo da Vinci Int’l (Fiumicino Int’l) (FCO)	1%	2%
Frankfurt Int’l (FRA)	—	0%
Helsinki-Vantaa (HEL)	1%	2%
London Gatwick (LGW)	0%	1%
London Heathrow (LHR)	0%	0%
General Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS)	0%	—
Marseille Provence (MRS)	1%	—
Munich Int’l (MUC)	0%	—
Malpensa Int’l (MXP)	2%	2%
Naples Int’l (Capodichino) (NAP)	1%	1%
Nice Cote d’Azur (NCE)	1%	0%
Porto / Oporto (OPO)	1%	—
Paris Orly (ORY)	—	0%
Turin Int’l (Torino Caselle) (TRN)	4%	5%
Marco Polo Int’l (Marco Polo Venice) (VCE)	2%	1%

Major European Airlines Report Significant Flight Delays and Cancellations

The airline data shows that several major European carriers experienced operational pressure. Low-cost airlines and large network carriers recorded some of the highest delay numbers due to their extensive flight networks across Europe.

easyJet reported one of the highest delay figures among the affected airlines, with 496 delayed flights, representing 25% of its operations, along with 26 cancellations at a 1% cancellation rate. The airline’s extensive European network means delays can affect multiple destinations and connecting routes.

Ryanair also faced considerable disruption, recording 403 delays, accounting for 13% of flights, and 43 cancellations, representing 1%. As one of Europe’s largest low-cost carriers, operational disruptions can impact numerous routes across different countries.

KLM recorded 194 delayed flights, or 25% of operations, alongside 21 cancellations at a 2% rate. The Dutch carrier’s Amsterdam-based network connects passengers across Europe and international destinations.

ITA Airways experienced 125 delays, representing 32% of flights, with 14 cancellations at a 3% rate. The Italian carrier was among the airlines with the highest delay percentage in the provided data.

Other major airlines also reported disruption:

• Air France recorded 116 delays (18%) and 21 cancellations (3%).
• Wizz Air Malta reported 120 delays (19%) and 11 cancellations (1%).
• Vueling Airlines experienced 105 delays (16%) and 16 cancellations (2%).
• Lufthansa recorded 96 delays (9%) and 1 cancellation (0%).
• British Airways reported 75 delays (10%) and 2 cancellations (0%).
• Finnair recorded 74 delays (21%) and 8 cancellations (2%).
• Transavia France experienced 70 delays (18%) and 3 cancellations (0%).
• Eurowings recorded 78 delays (20%) and 2 cancellations (0%).

Regional operators also faced disruption. SATA Air Açores reported 29 delays (38%) and 3 cancellations (3%), while Sata Internacional recorded 9 delays (23%) and 3 cancellations (7%), showing higher disruption percentages despite lower flight volumes.

Passengers Across Europe Face Longer Waiting Times and Schedule Changes

The widespread disruption has affected passengers travelling for business, holidays and connecting journeys. Delays at major hubs can create further complications because many European flights rely on tightly scheduled aircraft rotations.

Passengers affected by delays or cancellations should take several immediate steps:

Check Airline Updates Regularly

Travellers should monitor their airline’s official website, mobile application or airport information screens for the latest updates. Flight times can change quickly during periods of operational disruption.

Arrive Early at Airports

Passengers with upcoming departures should allow additional time for check-in, security checks and potential changes at busy airports.

Confirm Connecting Flight Options

Travellers with connecting flights should check whether their onward journey remains available. If a delay creates a missed connection, passengers should contact their airline for alternative arrangements.

Keep Travel Documents Ready

Passengers should keep booking confirmations, identification documents and airline communications easily accessible to speed up assistance processes.

Aviation Networks across Europe Continue Managing Widespread Operational Pressure

The provided data shows that disruption affected airlines and airports across Europe rather than being limited to one country or carrier. Major hubs including Amsterdam, Paris, Rome, Barcelona, Frankfurt and London experienced significant passenger impact, while airlines such as easyJet, Ryanair, KLM, ITA Airways and Air France recorded notable operational challenges.

With 3,101 delays and 305 cancellations recorded across the listed European operations, travellers should continue checking flight information before heading to airports and prepare for possible schedule adjustments during ongoing disruption.

According to latest update: Catania Airport informed passengers that the state of alert has ended, normal operations have been restored, and full services have resumed. The airport confirmed that affected airspace sectors are operational again, with all previously implemented restrictions lifted with immediate effect.

Data Verification Notice

The flight disruption data has been carefully compiled and reviewed by our editorial team using real-time aviation records captured on 28 September 2026 at 1:36 pm ET (USA), corresponding to 28 September 2026 at 7:36 pm Central European Summer Time (GMT+2) in Italy.

Primary Source: FlightAware, Local Correspondent Reports

All figures have undergone independent verification and cross-checking by our human editorial team to ensure accuracy and reliability. Timestamped records, operational data logs and reference snapshots have been securely maintained for future verification and editorial transparency.

Note: Real-time flight tracking information reflects active aviation conditions and operational updates at the time of reporting. Slight differences may occur between live tracking data and flight information displayed by individual airports or airlines due to ongoing schedule adjustments and operational changes.

Yesterday, Europe’s aviation network experienced 254 flight cancellations and 2,939 delays across major airports and airlines. For detailed insights, airport-wise updates, and airline disruption analysis, read the complete coverage here.

Verified by Paramita Sarkar