Iceland’s Volcanic Ash Disrupts Flights Anew
- 14 years ago
On Wednesday, a cloud of abrasive ash drifting south from the Icelandic volcano disrupted flights anew, to and from Ireland and Scotland.
Two airports serving Glasgow, Scotland's largest city, were closed until at least 1800 GMT, while flights from the Irish capital, Dublin, faced restrictions until at least 2300 GMT.
The European air traffic agency Eurocontrol said on Wednesday, that about 300 of the 29,000 scheduled flights were likely to be cancelled across Europe.
English services at the airports of Liverpool, Bristol, Leeds and Manchester could also be affected.
Britain's official weather forecaster, the Met Office, say that the ash would remain over much of Ireland, Scotland and western England into Thursday, while continuing to move south.
And Britain's Civil Aviation Authority says it does not expect problems in the southeast, where the major airports serving London are located.
Tuesday was the first test of a European system of progressive closures, including partial no-fly zones.
European transport ministers have agreed to set safety limits for flying through the ash that can paralyse jet engines, and to unify European airspace.
The European Commission estimates that last month's airspace closures cost Europe's airlines between one half and two half billion Euros.
Two airports serving Glasgow, Scotland's largest city, were closed until at least 1800 GMT, while flights from the Irish capital, Dublin, faced restrictions until at least 2300 GMT.
The European air traffic agency Eurocontrol said on Wednesday, that about 300 of the 29,000 scheduled flights were likely to be cancelled across Europe.
English services at the airports of Liverpool, Bristol, Leeds and Manchester could also be affected.
Britain's official weather forecaster, the Met Office, say that the ash would remain over much of Ireland, Scotland and western England into Thursday, while continuing to move south.
And Britain's Civil Aviation Authority says it does not expect problems in the southeast, where the major airports serving London are located.
Tuesday was the first test of a European system of progressive closures, including partial no-fly zones.
European transport ministers have agreed to set safety limits for flying through the ash that can paralyse jet engines, and to unify European airspace.
The European Commission estimates that last month's airspace closures cost Europe's airlines between one half and two half billion Euros.