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Help needed with Plan B due to Etna

Posted by (Los Angeles, CA) on

Hi all. In about a month I’ll be flying from
CTA to BRI (with connection in FCO). Given the recent flare up of Etna and the CTA closures I have been looking for possible alternatives just for peace of mind. My flight out of CTA is in the morning and I am taking a bus from Taormina that morning so I don’t want to hop on the bus and then find out flights are canceled.

I was hoping someone can offer feedback on the potential alternatives I found.

There’s an SAIS bus from Giardini Naxos to Bari , but it arrives in Bari at close to 11 pm (looks like the morning bus is sold out already). BTW the date is Sept. 11. There’s also train service on Trenitalia, but this option would have me on a train for 10.5 hours.

Since my flight was purchased as an award seat, which I can cancel and change, I went ahead and looked at award flights from PMO. I do see there's an afternoon flight that I can book (2:25 pm). I would have to then take the early morning train from Taormina-Giardini to PMO (arrives at 12:14 pm). I'm willing to do this long journey simply for peace of mind. I don't know if this flight will be available last minute if CTA closes. However, I recall hearing about trains often being delayed in Sicily.

Should I consider changing my flight to leave from PMO? And, if so, do you think the train would be trustworthy enough to arrive on time?

Posted by
37 posts

Hi, Giangilberto from Milan, so I can give you some advice that mainly concerns transport.
The strikes starts again on the first of September because while August is a protected period, September is not, so there are already strikes scheduled right on the official website of the Ministry of Transport. There are no strikes on the 11th, but for example, there are strikes on Sunday, September 13th, a 24-hour national air strike, and also on September 7th and 8th a 24-hour national rail strike, so if you were to calculate plan Bs, these are absolutely days to avoid.
Another thing right now, right in these days, for example, Etna is erupting a lot. A new eruptive vent has even formed at the base of the north face where the Valle del Bove is.
We are at about 2000 meters above sea level. Intense explosive activity continues with the emission of a lot of ash.
The biggest problem is usually not so much the eruptions that remain a problem but all the ash that falls after the eruption.
At the moment it is falling on the southern face, so your plan, for example, going to Giardini Naxos or Taormina would not be affected because they are located on the opposite side of Etna.
You can consult all the official bulletins and the latest updates on volcanic activity on the official website of the INGV (National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology) Catania section.
Thirteen updates have been released in two days. Below is the official link:

https://www.ct.ingv.it/

Posted by
611 posts

Thank you for that important information Giangilberto. Fortunately, I won’t be using trains on any of the days you listed.

If you were in my shoes, how would go about getting from Taormina to Bari?

Posted by
18058 posts

The viable alternative is changing your itinerary and fly to BRI from PMO.

Flying out of CTA always entails the unpredictable risk that the airport may be closed due to the Etna eruptions. On average the airport is closed and the flights are canceled about 10-15 days a year, but it is impossible to predict when and for how long.

Posted by
37 posts

I completely agree with Roberto, you could do Palermo - Brindisi.
It's a very unpredictable and always evolving situation, and it's very difficult to predict what the volcano will do, there could be nothing and flat calm like violent eruptions that could close the Catania airport.

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