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Europe faces prolonged air chaos Europe faces prolonged air chaos
(about 2 hours later)
The European air traffic control organisation has said flights could be disrupted for another 48 hours by ash spewing from a volcano in Iceland. Flights across much of Europe are being cancelled on a second day of massive disruption caused by drifting ash ejected from a volcano in Iceland.
Eurocontrol spokesman Brian Flynn said a lack of wind in the area meant the ash cloud was "progressing very slowly eastwards" and remained "very dense". Hundreds of thousands of passengers are affected and severe disruption could extend into the weekend, including on flights to North America and Asia.
Up to 5,000 flights could have been affected by the end of Thursday. Some 5,000 flights were cancelled on Thursday as airspaces from the Republic of Ireland to Finland were closed.
The UK, Republic of Ireland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Belgium and the Netherlands closed their airspaces. The ash is not thought to pose a serious health risk to people however.
France shut down 24 airports in the north of the country, including the main hub of Paris-Charles de Gaulle, while Germany's Berlin and Hamburg airports were also closed on Thursday evening.
The UK announced early on Friday that restrictions, which had been in place until 1300 (1200GMT) would now be extended until at least 1900 (1800GMT), although some exceptions may be possible in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
"In general, the situation cannot be said to be improving with any certainty," said a statement issued by the National Air Traffic Service (Nats).
'Foreseeable future'
Eurocontrol, which covers 38 nations across Europe, said the ash ejected by the volcano underneath the Eyjafjallajoekull glacier in Iceland would continue to move in a south-easterly direction.
We can actually smell sulphur in the air here now from the volcano cloud Tim Farish, Oslo Volcanic ash: Your travel stories UK extends air restrictions A guide to Iceland's volcanoesWe can actually smell sulphur in the air here now from the volcano cloud Tim Farish, Oslo Volcanic ash: Your travel stories UK extends air restrictions A guide to Iceland's volcanoes
Based on the guidelines of the International Civil Aviation Organisation, normal air traffic control services could not be provided to flights in airspaces affected by volcanic ash, requiring the temporary suspension of air traffic, it added. Health officials in Scotland, where the ash was expected to start falling overnight, said the concentration of particles that fell was likely to be low, and effects on people with existing respiratory conditions were "likely to be short term".
Experts have warned that the tiny particles of rock, glass and sand contained in the ash cloud could be sufficient to jam aircraft engines. The UK's Met Office said any ash that did reach ground level would be barely visible.
Mr Flynn, Eurocontrol's assistant head of operations, said the extent of the disruption was "greater than we've ever seen before in the EU" and warned that the problem could persist for a further 48 hours. UK restrictions originally in place until 1300 (1200 GMT) on Friday have been extended until at least 1900 (1800 GMT), although some exceptions may be possible in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
"The meteorological situation is such that the volcanic ash is progressing very slowly eastwards but there is not a lot of wind... so it is very slow and very dense," he told the Reuters news agency. "In general, the situation cannot be said to be improving with any certainty," said a statement issued by the National Air Traffic Service.
'Progressing very slowly'
The European air traffic control organisation, Eurocontrol, said a lack of wind meant the ash cloud created by the volcano underneath Iceland's Eyjafjallajoekull glacier was "progressing very slowly eastwards" and remained "very dense".
COUNTRIES AFFECTED Airspace closed: UKRepublic of IrelandNorwayDenmarkSwedenBelgiumNetherlandsFinland Partial or planned closures: France (northern airspace)Poland (northern airspace)COUNTRIES AFFECTED Airspace closed: UKRepublic of IrelandNorwayDenmarkSwedenBelgiumNetherlandsFinland Partial or planned closures: France (northern airspace)Poland (northern airspace)
A spokesman for the UK's Nats said its airspace restriction was the worst in living memory, and that it was "very unlikely that the situation over England will improve in the foreseeable future". The airspaces of the UK, Irish Republic, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Belgium and the Netherlands closed their airspaces on Thursday.
The restrictions will not be lifted before 1900 (1800 GMT) on Friday at the earliest. France shut down 24 airports in the north of the country, including the main hub of Paris-Charles de Gaulle, while Germany's Berlin and Hamburg airports were also closed on Thursday evening.
The move silenced Heathrow airport, the world's second busiest, and stranded tens of thousands of passengers around the world. If the disruption persists, there are fears in Poland that some world leaders will be unable to attend Sunday's state funeral of Polish President Lech Kaczynski, who was killed in a plane crash last Saturday.
The Republic of Ireland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, the Netherlands and Finland all later shut down their airspace entirely, while there was also major disruption in France, Germany, Poland and Spain. Several European monarchs were unable to attend 70th birthday celebrations for Denmark's Queen Margrethe, which began with a concert on Thursday.
The Norwegian and Belgian authorities said their airspace would remain closed for most of Friday. Half of all transatlantic flights are expected to be cancelled. For want of a plane, Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt was known to be driving home to Sweden from Brussels, the Associated Press news agency reports.
Tim Farish, who had been planning to fly from Oslo to London on business, told the BBC he had been told by the airline SAS to stay at home and not bother calling for updates.
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Stranded passengers in Paris, Stockholm, Dublin and Oslo
"We can actually smell sulphur in the air here now from the volcano cloud," he told the BBC from his home in the Norwegian capital.
"This could last for a few days apparently, so all I can do, like anyone else, is sit and wait."
'Days or weeks''Days or weeks'
The volcano beneath the Eyjafjallajoekull glacier 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 volcano 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 heat melted the surrounding ice, and witnesses said two flows of meltwater started coming off the glacier on Wednesday.
As many as 800 people were later 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.
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Ash spewing from the volcano in Iceland on WednesdayAsh spewing from the volcano in Iceland on Wednesday
The heat melted the surrounding ice, and witnesses say two flows of meltwater started coming off the glacier on Wednesday.
As many as 800 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.
On Thursday, the flooding was reported to have subsided, but the volcano was still producing ash that was being blown towards Europe.On Thursday, the flooding was reported to have subsided, but the volcano was still producing ash that was being blown towards Europe.
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Stranded passengers in Paris, Stockholm, Dublin and Oslo
"It is likely that the production of ash will continue at a comparable level for some days or weeks. But where it disrupts travel, that depends on the weather," Einar Kjartansson, a geophysicist at the Icelandic Meteorological Office, told the Associated Press."It is likely that the production of ash will continue at a comparable level for some days or weeks. But where it disrupts travel, that depends on the weather," Einar Kjartansson, a geophysicist at the Icelandic Meteorological Office, told the Associated Press.
"It depends how the wind carries the ash.""It depends how the wind carries the ash."
The last volcanic eruption beneath the glacier was on 20 March. The eruption before that started in 1821 - and continued for two years.The last volcanic eruption beneath the glacier was on 20 March. The eruption before 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.
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