FAMILIES are being left stranded abroad after more than 700 flights have been cancelled across Europe.
The ongoing eruption of Mount Etna has caused chaos in Sicily, with Catania Airport suspending operations since the weekend.
This has resulted in cancelled flights and hundreds of holidaymakers being stranded abroad.
Evgenia Filimianova, 39, flew to Sicily last week from London to attend a friends wedding.
However, after trying to fly back to Athens from Catania Airport yesterday, they were told their flight was cancelled just 30 minutes before it was due to depart.
Not only that, but their seven-year-old daughter is stuck with family in Athens without them.
Read more on cancelled flight
Evgenia said: “We were having a very nice day in Taormina, at the wedding, enjoying our time there, but we could see the eruption and the volcano spewing lava.
“The locals seemed very chill and we didn’t get any emergency texts or direction from the people at the hotel, so we weren’t too worried.
“But then I started reading about travel. As soon as there is ash, the airports start closing.”
She added that there were loads of people “sleeping on the floor” when they arrived at the airport with other families also stuck.
Despite spending a night at the airport hotel, they were told today that flights were still being cancelled.
She added: “It feels like there is no way out. Our daughter is in Athens, we have to get back to her.”
Not only are flights being cancelled, but she said “buses and trains are fully booked, taxis are too expensive, the hotels are getting booked up”.
Flights are still operating from Palermo Airport on the north of the island, but Evgenia has said that flights from there are fully booked too.
The couple are now planning to get to Malta and then make their way back to Athens from there.
She explained: “The plan is to get a cab to the bus station, then a three hour bus to Porto di Pozzallo, then a ferry to Malta, then a cab to a hotel, stay there overnight and then a cab to the airport.
“And then we’re just hoping we’ll be able to fly to Athens.
“Emotionally, it’s not easy. It’s stressful and tiring and we weren’t prepared for it.
She did find some humour in the situation though.
She added: “It’s like The Odyssey – we’re Greek, and we’re trying to get back there, and there are all these hurdles along the way.”
According to local media, between August 8 and 11, around 400 departing flights were canceled, with another 52 cancellations today.
More than 250 flights were redirected to other airports.
All flights to and from Catania Airport have been suspended until at least 4pm tomorrow.
It isn’t just Sicily being affected as flights to Malta are also being cancelled and delayed due to the volcano.
What are your rights?
Anton Radchenko, air passenger rights expert and founder and CEO of AirAdvisor, explained what the disruption means for customers…
“When volcanic ash closes airspace, airlines will usually class it as an extraordinary circumstance, which means fixed cash compensation is unlikely.
“However, I would urge passengers not to confuse ‘no compensation’ with ‘no rights’.
“The airline must still offer a refund or rerouting and provide reasonable meals, accommodation and transport while passengers wait.
“If you still need to get home, do not automatically accept a refund.
“Once you accept it, the airline’s rerouting and care obligations will normally end.
“Ask for the earliest reasonable alternative and, if another airline can get you back significantly sooner, ask to be transferred to that service.
“If you have to pay for reasonable essentials because the airline fails to provide them, keep every itemised receipt so you can seek reimbursement.”
This is supported by the UK Civil Aviation Authority’s current cancellation guidance which you can find here.