"Due to the eruptive activity of Etna and the simultaneous emission of volcanic ash into the atmosphere, the closure of the airspace affected by the ash cloud has been ordered and arrivals have been suspended until 5 p.m." This was announced by the company Sac (source in Italian), which operates Catania airport.
The same company specified that the situation is having a "severe operational impact" and urged "passengers not to go to the airport without first checking the status of their flight directly with their airline". "The situation," Sac concluded, "is being constantly monitored and further updates will follow depending on how the volcanic activity and weather conditions develop".
