Italy’s main rail operator under state ownership
Mount Etna’s ongoing eruption has kept Catania airport closed or operating under strict restrictions, disrupting nearly 2,000 flights over the past week, with passengers rerouted to other hubs and price pressures rising during Ferragosto travel. Authorities warn ash emissions will continue to affect air traffic in the region.
Avanti West Coast is being brought into public ownership in March as part of a Labour-led plan to take essential rail services into public hands amid ongoing disruption and a push to improve punctuality, capacity and passenger experience.