CATANIA AIRPORT REOPENS AFTER FLIGHT SUSPENSION

CATANIA, SEPTEMBER 29 /SRNA-Reuters/ - Catania Airport resumed operations after a brief suspension of flights caused by renewed volcanic activity at Mount Etna and bad weather, marking the latest in a series of disruptions to air traffic.

Airport operator SAC said flights to and from the airport resumed immediately after the volcanic alert level was lowered from red to orange.

Operations had been suspended earlier this morning, just hours after a three-day shutdown ended last night.

The airport on the island of Sicily, Italy's fifth-busiest by passenger traffic, frequently faces disruptions caused by volcanic ash from Mount Etna, Europe's highest and most active volcano.

The latest shutdown affected thousands of passengers and increased pressure on other airports in Sicily as airlines diverted flights away from Catania.