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| Navy ships to aid in ash response | Navy ships to aid in ash response |
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| Three Royal Navy ships will be drafted to help return Britons stranded abroad as UK airspace remains restricted. | Three Royal Navy ships will be drafted to help return Britons stranded abroad as UK airspace remains restricted. |
| The move was announced after the UK's emergency committee Cobra met to discuss options in addressing travel chaos caused by a volcanic ash cloud. | The move was announced after the UK's emergency committee Cobra met to discuss options in addressing travel chaos caused by a volcanic ash cloud. |
| The ships HMS Ark Royal, HMS Ocean and HMS Albion are heading for Spain and unspecified Channel ports. | The ships HMS Ark Royal, HMS Ocean and HMS Albion are heading for Spain and unspecified Channel ports. |
| On Monday morning, flight restrictions were extended by air traffic control service Nats to 0100 BST Tuesday. | On Monday morning, flight restrictions were extended by air traffic control service Nats to 0100 BST Tuesday. |
| Planes were first grounded in the UK at midday on Thursday amid fears particles in the ash cloud from Eyjafjallajoekull could cause engines to shut down. | Planes were first grounded in the UK at midday on Thursday amid fears particles in the ash cloud from Eyjafjallajoekull could cause engines to shut down. |
| Travel agents' association Abta said its "rough estimate" was that 150,000 Britons are currently stranded abroad, and rail and ferry services have been stretched to the limit by passengers seeking other means to return. | Travel agents' association Abta said its "rough estimate" was that 150,000 Britons are currently stranded abroad, and rail and ferry services have been stretched to the limit by passengers seeking other means to return. |
| 'Cautious optimism' | 'Cautious optimism' |
| Following the Cobra meeting, the prime minister outlined discussions he had held with Spanish premier Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero about the use of airports in Spain, which retain a limited service as they are at the edge of the ash cloud. | |
| "I talked to Prime Minister Zapatero and he has offered in principle the use of Spanish airports as a hub to bring people back to Britain," he said. | "I talked to Prime Minister Zapatero and he has offered in principle the use of Spanish airports as a hub to bring people back to Britain," he said. |
| "We are now looking (at) transport arrangements that we will support as a government - coach, ferry and train - to get people either from Madrid or another Spanish airport back to Britain." | "We are now looking (at) transport arrangements that we will support as a government - coach, ferry and train - to get people either from Madrid or another Spanish airport back to Britain." |
| HMS Ark Royal will be used to help bring Britons home Stranded Britons: Rescue plan | |
| He added that the Navy ships would soon be deployed towards Channel ports for the effort. | He added that the Navy ships would soon be deployed towards Channel ports for the effort. |
| "I believe this is one of the most serious transport disruptions we have faced," Mr Brown said. | "I believe this is one of the most serious transport disruptions we have faced," Mr Brown said. |
| "It's got financial consequences as well as human consequences and we will do everything in our power to make sure all the arrangements are in place to help people where possible to get back home." | "It's got financial consequences as well as human consequences and we will do everything in our power to make sure all the arrangements are in place to help people where possible to get back home." |
| HMS Albion was deployed to Santander in Spain to return 220 members of the 3 Rifles battalion to the UK, as they remain stranded on their way back from Afghanistan. | HMS Albion was deployed to Santander in Spain to return 220 members of the 3 Rifles battalion to the UK, as they remain stranded on their way back from Afghanistan. |
| They will join 300 of their colleagues, who made it back to the UK by coach and ferry on Sunday. | They will join 300 of their colleagues, who made it back to the UK by coach and ferry on Sunday. |
| The move comes as schools are drawing up contingency plans to deal with the absence of teachers stranded by the crisis. A handful of schools have remained closed. | The move comes as schools are drawing up contingency plans to deal with the absence of teachers stranded by the crisis. A handful of schools have remained closed. |
| Shadow transport secretary Therese Villiers said: "It is good news for Britons trying to get home that the Government are now looking to make use of the Royal Navy... People stranded abroad need to know all that can be done to help them is being done and this is a first step". | |
| Liberal Democrat transport spokesman Norman Baker said it needed to be "urgently assessed" how much longer British passengers faced being stranded for. | |
| Early reports from Iceland on Monday have suggested the ash column rising from the volcano has reduced since the weekend. | Early reports from Iceland on Monday have suggested the ash column rising from the volcano has reduced since the weekend. |
| David Rothery of the Open University said that although the ash and wind conditions at the volcanic vent were not necessarily stable, "there are grounds for cautious optimism". | David Rothery of the Open University said that although the ash and wind conditions at the volcanic vent were not necessarily stable, "there are grounds for cautious optimism". |
| Clouded economics | Clouded economics |
| EU transport ministers are also expected to hold emergency talks by video conference on how to ease the chaos caused by the volcanic ash cloud that has paralysed air travel across Europe. | EU transport ministers are also expected to hold emergency talks by video conference on how to ease the chaos caused by the volcanic ash cloud that has paralysed air travel across Europe. |
| MAJOR EU AIRPORTS 0800 19/04 Heathrow - closedFrankfurt - closed after reopening on a limited basis for several hours on SundayParis Charles de Gaulle - closedSchipol, Amsterdam - closedRome - limited serviceMadrid - limited service | |
| The talks come as airports and airlines have called for flight restrictions - said to be costing airlines $200m (£130m) a day - to be reviewed. | The talks come as airports and airlines have called for flight restrictions - said to be costing airlines $200m (£130m) a day - to be reviewed. |
| British commercial pilots' union Balpa said the industry will need the same of kind of government rescue following the eruption as some banks have had, with a number of airlines "staring bankruptcy in the face". | British commercial pilots' union Balpa said the industry will need the same of kind of government rescue following the eruption as some banks have had, with a number of airlines "staring bankruptcy in the face". |
| Tim Jeans, managing director of the airline Monarch, said that "clearly you cannot sell a ticket for somebody from say Alicante to London for £60 and pick up a £2,000 bill". | Tim Jeans, managing director of the airline Monarch, said that "clearly you cannot sell a ticket for somebody from say Alicante to London for £60 and pick up a £2,000 bill". |
| "No business could stand that and the UK airline industry is no different." | "No business could stand that and the UK airline industry is no different." |
| Airports Council International (ACI) Europe and the Association of European Airlines (AEA) said on Sunday they were "questioning the proportionality of the flight restrictions currently imposed". | |
| ACI's director general Oliver Jankovek said safety was an "absolute priority" but it was important to distinguish whether there was a "genuine risk". | |
| EXPERT ADVICE class="" href="/2/hi/health/8624806.stm">Latest health advice class="" href="/2/hi/business/8621779.stm">Air passenger rights class="" href="/2/hi/uk_news/8627253.stm">Q&A: Volcanic ash cloud class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/travelnews/public/air.shtml">Travel latest | |
| However, Eurocontrol, the organisation in charge of air safety in Europe, has denied aviation authorities are being over-cautious. | |
| A number of airlines, including BA, have said they have carried out test flights within restricted zones with no obvious damage to aircraft. | A number of airlines, including BA, have said they have carried out test flights within restricted zones with no obvious damage to aircraft. |
| On Sunday, a British Airways Boeing 747 completed a two-and-three-quarter hour test flight at 40,000ft from Heathrow to Cardiff, via the Atlantic, the airline said. | On Sunday, a British Airways Boeing 747 completed a two-and-three-quarter hour test flight at 40,000ft from Heathrow to Cardiff, via the Atlantic, the airline said. |
| Chief executive Willie Walsh, who is a trained pilot, and four crew were on board. | Chief executive Willie Walsh, who is a trained pilot, and four crew were on board. |
| I was due back at university today. Some are jeopardising their degrees by missing dissertation deadlines and important exams. We have been emailing our lecturers to inform them of our situation. Alice PegrumStranded in China Live text: Volcano ash as it happens | I was due back at university today. Some are jeopardising their degrees by missing dissertation deadlines and important exams. We have been emailing our lecturers to inform them of our situation. Alice PegrumStranded in China Live text: Volcano ash as it happens |
| "The conditions were perfect and the aircraft encountered no difficulties. It will now undergo a full technical analysis at British Airways' engineering base at Cardiff," the airline said in a statement. | |
| However, a Met Office plane encountered dangerous levels of ash when it went through the ash cloud on Sunday. | |
| Dr Guy Gratton, head of the Facility of Airborne Atmospheric Measurement, a joint body belonging to the Met Office and the Natural Environment Research Council, said that "it's still quite a complex mixture of clear air and very worrying - but invisible -volcanic ash at all sorts of heights". | |
| Anyone concerned about the safety of a British national stranded abroad can call a Foreign Office helpline on 020 7008 0000, or visit its website at www.fco.gov.uk. | Anyone concerned about the safety of a British national stranded abroad can call a Foreign Office helpline on 020 7008 0000, or visit its website at www.fco.gov.uk. |
| Stranded Britons should contact their local embassy, high commission or consulate. | Stranded Britons should contact their local embassy, high commission or consulate. |
| Have you been affected by the volcanic ash cloud? Are you stranded because of the airspace restrictions? Are you in Iceland? You can send your experiences using the form below: | Have you been affected by the volcanic ash cloud? Are you stranded because of the airspace restrictions? Are you in Iceland? You can send your experiences using the form below: |
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