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| Europe faces prolonged air chaos | Europe faces prolonged air chaos |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| Flights across much of Europe will be severely disrupted well into Saturday because of drifting ash ejected from a volcano in Iceland, officials say. | Flights across much of Europe will be severely disrupted well into Saturday because of drifting ash ejected from a volcano in Iceland, officials say. |
| Much of the airspace across northern and western Europe is closed, with fewer than half the usual number of flights expected to operate on Friday. | Much of the airspace across northern and western Europe is closed, with fewer than half the usual number of flights expected to operate on Friday. |
| Hundreds of thousands of passengers in Europe and around the world have been affected. | Hundreds of thousands of passengers in Europe and around the world have been affected. |
| Scientists say the volcano is still erupting but producing less ash. | Scientists say the volcano is still erupting but producing less ash. |
| More countries imposed either full or partial airspace closures on Friday, while some northern regions began to relax restrictions as the ash cloud slowly drifted south. | More countries imposed either full or partial airspace closures on Friday, while some northern regions began to relax restrictions as the ash cloud slowly drifted south. |
| Among the latest announcements: | Among the latest announcements: |
| COUNTRIES AFFECTED Airspace closed: BelgiumCzech RepublicDenmarkEstoniaFinlandHungary (from 1700 GMT)LatviaLithuaniaNetherlandsSlovakiaSwitzerland (from 2200 GMT) Partial closures: Austria (closures from 1600 GMT)France (northern airspace)Germany (most airports closed)Norway (limited flights in north)Poland (most airports closed)Republic of Ireland (most airspace opened Friday)Sweden (northern airspace opened Friday)UK (near-total closure) In pictures: Flight disruption UK extends air restrictions Economic impact of closures | |
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| The UK's National Air Traffic Service (Nats) said trans-Atlantic flights would be able to operate to and from the re-opened airspace, but stressed this did not mean all such flights would resume. | The UK's National Air Traffic Service (Nats) said trans-Atlantic flights would be able to operate to and from the re-opened airspace, but stressed this did not mean all such flights would resume. |
| "In general, the situation is dynamic and subject to change," Nats said on Friday morning. | "In general, the situation is dynamic and subject to change," Nats said on Friday morning. |
| Some 60% of flights in Europe have been grounded, and more than half of trans-Atlantic flights cancelled, the European air traffic agency, Eurocontrol, said. | Some 60% of flights in Europe have been grounded, and more than half of trans-Atlantic flights cancelled, the European air traffic agency, Eurocontrol, said. |
| At a news conference in Brussels on Friday afternoon, the agency warned travellers to expect significant disruption on Saturday, as the ash moves south and east. | At a news conference in Brussels on Friday afternoon, the agency warned travellers to expect significant disruption on Saturday, as the ash moves south and east. |
| Earlier, more countries moved to close their airspace, joining eight - the UK, Irish Republic, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Belgium and the Netherlands - which banned flights on Thursday. | Earlier, more countries moved to close their airspace, joining eight - the UK, Irish Republic, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Belgium and the Netherlands - which banned flights on Thursday. |
| France shut down 24 airports in the north of the country, including the main hub of Paris-Charles de Gaulle, while Germany had closed most of its airports by Friday morning. | France shut down 24 airports in the north of the country, including the main hub of Paris-Charles de Gaulle, while Germany had closed most of its airports by Friday morning. |
| At Frankfurt's airport, camp beds were laid out for tired travellers waiting for flights to resume. | At Frankfurt's airport, camp beds were laid out for tired travellers waiting for flights to resume. |
| The Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, and Slovakia, also closed their airspace, while Austrian officials said they would start closing theirs from 1900 (1700 GMT). | The Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, and Slovakia, also closed their airspace, while Austrian officials said they would start closing theirs from 1900 (1700 GMT). |
| Czech authorities began to impose restrictions on Friday as well, adding that a complete closure was likely to follow. | Czech authorities began to impose restrictions on Friday as well, adding that a complete closure was likely to follow. |
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| Volcanologist Dr Hazel Rymer: "The ash is only dangerous if you want to fly into it" | Volcanologist Dr Hazel Rymer: "The ash is only dangerous if you want to fly into it" |
| Poland closed most of its airports on Friday, including Krakow in the south, where foreign leaders had planned to arrive for the state funeral of President Lech Kaczynski, who was killed in a plane crash last Saturday. | Poland closed most of its airports on Friday, including Krakow in the south, where foreign leaders had planned to arrive for the state funeral of President Lech Kaczynski, who was killed in a plane crash last Saturday. |
| The Kaczynski family said they wanted the funeral to go ahead as planned on Sunday. | The Kaczynski family said they wanted the funeral to go ahead as planned on Sunday. |
| We can actually smell sulphur in the air here now from the volcano cloud Tim Farish, Oslo Volcanic ash: Your travel stories A guide to Iceland's volcanoes | We can actually smell sulphur in the air here now from the volcano cloud Tim Farish, Oslo Volcanic ash: Your travel stories A guide to Iceland's volcanoes |
| As the volcanic ash began drifting south, Sweden began reopening its northern airspace. Officials said restrictions further south would be lifted gradually on Friday. Norway allowed some flights in the north as well. | As the volcanic ash began drifting south, Sweden began reopening its northern airspace. Officials said restrictions further south would be lifted gradually on Friday. Norway allowed some flights in the north as well. |
| The Irish Republic also opened its airspace apart from a block off the south coast, putting Dublin, Shannon and Cork airports back into operation. | The Irish Republic also opened its airspace apart from a block off the south coast, putting Dublin, Shannon and Cork airports back into operation. |
| Eurostar said its train services between London and Paris and Brussels were sold out on Friday, and urged people not to come to St Pancras station in London to look for tickets. | Eurostar said its train services between London and Paris and Brussels were sold out on Friday, and urged people not to come to St Pancras station in London to look for tickets. |
| Evacuation | Evacuation |
| The Eyjafjallajokull volcano system began erupting on Wednesday for the second time in a month, hurling a plume of ash 11km (seven miles) into the atmosphere. A 500m-wide fissure appeared at the top of the crater. | The Eyjafjallajokull volcano system began erupting on Wednesday for the second time in a month, hurling a plume of ash 11km (seven miles) into the atmosphere. A 500m-wide fissure appeared at the top of the crater. |
| Hundreds of people were evacuated from their homes as water carried pieces of ice reportedly the size of small houses down the mountain. A road along the flooded Markarfljot river was also cut in several places. | Hundreds of people were evacuated from their homes as water carried pieces of ice reportedly the size of small houses down the mountain. A road along the flooded Markarfljot river was also cut in several places. |
| Matthew Roberts, from the Icelandic Met Office, told the BBC the eruption was weakening and it was no longer producing as much ash. | Matthew Roberts, from the Icelandic Met Office, told the BBC the eruption was weakening and it was no longer producing as much ash. |
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| The scene at airports in Paris and Frankfurt | The scene at airports in Paris and Frankfurt |
| British health officials said the effects of the ash on people with existing respiratory conditions were "likely to be short term". | British health officials said the effects of the ash on people with existing respiratory conditions were "likely to be short term". |
| The last eruption of the volcano system was on 20 March. The eruption prior to that started in 1821 - and continued for two years. | The last eruption of the volcano system was on 20 March. The eruption prior to that started in 1821 - and continued for two years. |
| Iceland lies on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the highly volatile boundary between the Eurasian and North American continental plates. | Iceland lies on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the highly volatile boundary between the Eurasian and North American continental plates. |
| Have you been affected by the volcanic eruption in Iceland or by disruptions to air traffic caused by volcanic ash? Send us your experiences using the form below. | Have you been affected by the volcanic eruption in Iceland or by disruptions to air traffic caused by volcanic ash? Send us your experiences using the form below. |
| Send your pictures or videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 if you are in the UK or+44 7725 100 100 if you are abroad. If you have a large file you can upload it here. | Send your pictures or videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 if you are in the UK or+44 7725 100 100 if you are abroad. If you have a large file you can upload it here. |
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