New ash cloud disrupts UK, Ireland air travel

DUBLIN: A new cloud of ash from a volcano in Iceland triggered fresh
disruptions in European air travel on Sunday, as Britain and Ireland
shut down major airports and a no-fly zone was imposed across southern
parts of UK airspace.

The no-fly zone will affect Heathrow,
Europe’s busiest airport, and Gatwick from 0000 GMT to 0600 GMT on
Monday as the high density of a volcanic ash cloud from Iceland drifts
south, the National Air Traffic Service (NATS) said.

“The high
density ash cloud continues to move further south in the early hours of
tomorrow morning”, it said in a statement.

Ash from the same
volcano wreaked havoc on European air traffic last month, when some
100,000 flights were cancelled and left millions of passengers stranded.
Airlines lost $1.7 billion, the International Air Transport Association
said.

Airports included in the no-fly zone include Heathrow,
Gatwick and London City, as well as all airfields in Northern Ireland
and airports in parts of Scotland, NATS said.

The Irish Aviation
Authority (IAA) said three northwestern airports were closed from early
Sunday and hub Dublin would be shut from 1800 GMT until at least 1100
GMT on Monday, but indicated that the disruption might not last very
long.

“The outlook later tomorrow looks better, I wouldn’t be too
optimistic for the early part of the day but the later part of the day
looks better and as the week goes on, it should improve,” IAA Chief
Executive Eamon Brennan told national broadcaster RTE.

North
Atlantic overflights through Irish-controlled airspace remain unaffected
despite the cloud drifting over the country. Cork and Kerry, as well as
Shannon — an important stopover for flights to the United States —
are open until further notice.

Western airports Sligo and Ireland
West (Knock), shut on Sunday, would re-open at 0800 GMT while Donegal
would remain closed until at least 1100 GMT. Other airports, Galway and
Waterford, would reopen at 0500 GMT, the IAA said.

“As a result
of the disruption to UK airports we are running four additional services
on Monday 17th May,” Eurostar said, adding that an extra 3,500 seats
would be available on routes linking London and Paris.

British
rail operator Virgin Trains said it would provide an extra 7,000 seats
through Monday, mainly on the Birmingham to Glasgow and Edinburgh, and
London to Glasgow routes.

The UK government had warned that parts
of British airspace might have to close until Tuesday with different
areas including the southeast, Heathrow is located, likely to be closed
at different times.

Teeside, Leeds-Bradford, Blackpool,
Sheffield, Manchester, Liverpool, Doncaster, Carlisle, Humberside and
East Midlands airports fall within the no-fly zone, NATS said. Airports
in the Isle of Man will also be affected.

The volcano under the
Eyjafjallajokull glacier in Iceland is continuing to erupt with no signs
of the explosive activity about to end and an ash plume reaching
heights of 25,000 feet (7,620 metres), Britain’s Met Office said.

“The
ash cloud is expected to clear the UK during Tuesday as southwesterly
winds become established during Monday,” it said.

The Met said
that two aircrafts, one from the UK and one from Germany, had flown to
investigate the ash plume.

“In many areas the cloud was clearly
visible to the naked eye and was described as “a grey-black layer”,” it
said. “The pilots … reported that “one should not fly into this
layer”.”

Elsewhere in Europe, German airlines’ association said
no restriction of German air traffic was expected due to the ash, and
German airlines were operating flights as normal.

In the
Netherlands, an Amsterdam Schiphol airport official said there were no
expected closures in Dutch airspace