Iceland volcano ash shuts UK airports
15.04.10
All UK flights were suspended today after a cloud of ash from a volcanic eruption in Iceland moved south, making it unsafe for planes to fly because of fears that particles in the smoke could shut down engines mid-flight. Safety body Eurocontrol said around 4000 flights across Europe were cancelled today, with a number of European countries hit.
The UK air traffic control company NATS grounded flights from Scotland first thing this morning, with the disruption quickly moving south so that by midday all UK flights were grounded. By lunch time NATS said that no fights flights would be allowed in or out of UK airspace until 18:00, but this has since been extended to 07:00 tomorrow, with a further announcement promised at 20:00 tonight and the real prospect of no flights tomorrow too.
Airspace restrictions were imposed after the Met Office warned the ash cloud - containing particles of rock, glass and sand - was sufficient to clog jet engines. According to a report on Travelmole and on the BBC in June 1982 a BA jumbo jet had all four engines shut down as it flew through a plume of volcanic ash.
The eruption under a glacier in the Eyjafjallajoekull area of Iceland is the second in the country in less than a month. The restrictions are the most significant in living memory, a NATS spokesman said, adding that it was ‘very unlikely that the situation over the UK will improve in the foreseeable future,’ suggesting the flights disruption is likely to continue in to tomorrow at least. A Met Office spokesperson said the ash could take several days to clear.
Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark were among the countries hit, with part or all of their airspace also closed today. Germany is monitoring the situation and considering partial airspace closures whilst there is severe disruption in France and Spain, where all north bound flights are cancelled.
Passengers have been asked to contact their airline before travelling to the airport. BA and others are offering refunds or the option to rebook flights at a later date.
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