Volcanic Eruption in Sicily - Exceptional Circumstances in Air Travel

Mount Etna is Europe’s most active volcano. Since the weekend, the volcano in Sicily has been spewing lava and ash again—a natural spectacle that is, however, having a significant impact on air travel. Sicily’s largest airport, Catania, is currently closed, and over 700 flights have already been canceled. At present, flights operated by Ryanair, Wizz Air, Volotea, EasyJet, and Delta Air Lines are primarily affected, but flights operated by ITA Airways and Austrian Airlines are also being either delayed or canceled.

A few flights may be departing; Catania Airport asks travelers to check their flight status with their respective airline.

Extraordinary Circumstances – What Rights Do Travelers Have?

According to the Air Passenger Rights Regulation, volcanic eruptions are classified as “extraordinary circumstances” in air travel, just like extreme weather events, strikes by airport staff, or bird strikes. However, an airline must prove these circumstances during the complaint process; only then is it exempt from the obligation to pay compensation for delays of more than three hours or cancellations. While this is relatively straightforward in the case of a volcanic eruption, it proves to be more challenging with other types of disruptions, such as those caused by weather.

Even if airlines cite extraordinary circumstances when handling complaints and reject claims, travelers should still contact the apf . This is because travelers may also be entitled to assistance and support services, such as ticket refunds or alternative transportation to their destination, as well as meals, beverages, hotel accommodations, and transfers commensurate with the waiting time. The airline must proactively offer these services—even in the event of volcanic eruptions.
Before incurring any expenses, travelers should contact the airline to avoid potential costs. In addition, invoices and receipts for lodging or meals should definitely be kept so they can be submitted for reimbursement if necessary.

Exceptional Circumstances in the First Half of 2026 in apf Proceedings

In the first half of 2026, more than 1,300 claims were filed with the apf, citing “exceptional circumstances” as the reason for the airline’s rejection of the claims.

In about half of the cases, the experts at apf were able to confirm the exceptional circumstances. About 500 of these cases (more than 75 percent) were due to weather events; other reasons included political instability (about eight percent), bird strikes (five percent), strikes (about two percent), or instructions from air traffic control that delayed takeoff or landing (about one percent). For the other half (655) of the claims, the apf found no extraordinary circumstances during its review. This means that, despite an initial rejection, passengers received compensation in about half of the cases involving extraordinary circumstances.

The APF therefore strongly advises travelers to contact the arbitration board in case of doubt—even if their claim has been denied due to extraordinary circumstances—and have the matter reviewed. In addition, travelers should always keep the original receipts for expenses incurred while waiting for a delayed flight.