The perils of piecemeal relaxation of travel restrictions led to a Eurowings flight being turned back by an airport in Sardinia last week.
Lufthansa-owned Eurowings began a resumption of services this month, with a morning flight from Dusseldorf to Olbia in Sardinia on Saturday May 23 among those restarting.
But Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera reported Flight EW9844 was forced to turn around upon nearing Olbia because the airport remains closed.
Sardinian air traffic control proposed a diversion to nearby Cagliari, but the Eurowings crew opted to return to Düsseldorf.
Corriere della Sera reported the Airbus A320 had just two passengers on board.
Eurowings noted “the situation at numerous airports in Europe is very dynamic” and there are “daily changes in entry regulations in various countries”.
A spokesperson blamed “a misunderstanding in the consolidation of relevant flight information” and said: “The information provided on operating hours or airport closures is often changed at short notice.”
Olbia’s airport remains closed until June 2.
