Passengers travelling through Malta International Airport are being urged to check their flight status as volcanic ash from Sicily’s Mount Etna continues to disrupt air traffic.
Malta International Airport remains open and is operating this morning, Wednesday 12 August. At the time of writing, shortly after 7:00am, most early flights were operating, although some cancellations and delays remained.
The airport is currently displaying an official flight-disruption warning stating that volcanic ash clouds over the Maltese Islands are affecting flights following recent activity at Mount Etna.
## Passengers Urged To Check Before Travelling
According to Malta International Airport, passengers should check their flight status before making their way to the airport.
Travellers whose flights have been cancelled or significantly delayed should follow their airline’s instructions and avoid travelling to the terminal unless advised otherwise.
The impact was already significant on Tuesday. A Malta International Airport spokesperson told Reuters that 19 flights had been cancelled by mid-afternoon, while several others experienced substantial delays.
## Etna’s Aviation Alert Remains Red
The latest Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation issued by Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology placed Etna at red, the highest aviation colour code.
The notice reported strong explosive activity at the volcano’s summit craters, alongside lava flows and an ash cloud moving south and southwest.
Catania Airport has also been heavily affected. Its latest official update suspended arrivals and departures until 11:00am on Wednesday due to Etna’s activity and the prevailing wind conditions.
## Disruption Could Continue
Volcanic ash may cause airlines to alter, delay or cancel flights depending on its location, the weather and individual safety assessments.
Conditions can change quickly, so anyone flying to or from Malta should continue monitoring their airline and Malta International Airport’s live flight information before travelling.
[Check Malta International Airport departures](https://maltairport.com/flights/departures/)
