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| Version 7 | Version 8 |
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| Ash cloud test plane is 'normal' | Ash cloud test plane is 'normal' |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A test flight of a British Airways jet to see if could fly safely despite the ash cloud from the Icelandic volcano has found it operated normally. | A test flight of a British Airways jet to see if could fly safely despite the ash cloud from the Icelandic volcano has found it operated normally. |
| The BA 747 flew 550 miles (885km) over the Atlantic from Heathrow before landing in Cardiff on Sunday. | The BA 747 flew 550 miles (885km) over the Atlantic from Heathrow before landing in Cardiff on Sunday. |
| BA chief executive Willie Walsh said: "The current blanket restrictions on airspace are unnecessary." | |
| Meanwhile, Cardiff Airport is to remain shut until at least 0100 BST on Tuesday because of the ash. | Meanwhile, Cardiff Airport is to remain shut until at least 0100 BST on Tuesday because of the ash. |
| BA said post-flight tests on the four-engine jet at the airline's engineering base in the Vale of Glamorgan showed no deterioration in the engines or aircraft structure. | BA said post-flight tests on the four-engine jet at the airline's engineering base in the Vale of Glamorgan showed no deterioration in the engines or aircraft structure. |
| The airline said a full survey of the plane was undertaken at Heathrow, with borescope - flexible camera - inspections of each engine as well as inspections of the wings, windows and engine inlets. | The airline said a full survey of the plane was undertaken at Heathrow, with borescope - flexible camera - inspections of each engine as well as inspections of the wings, windows and engine inlets. |
| A second inspection in Wales showed "no deterioration," BA said in a statement on Monday afternoon. | A second inspection in Wales showed "no deterioration," BA said in a statement on Monday afternoon. |
| A volcano in southern Iceland"s Eyjafjallajokull is causing the ash cloud | A volcano in southern Iceland"s Eyjafjallajokull is causing the ash cloud |
| The firm said that playback of the aircraft flight data recorders showed all four engines "performed without fault for the duration of the flight". | The firm said that playback of the aircraft flight data recorders showed all four engines "performed without fault for the duration of the flight". |
| Mr Walsh was on the flight along with the director of flight operations and the general manager of engineering., | Mr Walsh was on the flight along with the director of flight operations and the general manager of engineering., |
| He said airlines were best placed to decide what, if any, risk existed to passengers, planes and crews. | He said airlines were best placed to decide what, if any, risk existed to passengers, planes and crews. |
| He said: "Since airspace was closed on Thursday our assessment is that the risk has been minimal and can be managed by alternative procedures to maintain the highest safest standards. | He said: "Since airspace was closed on Thursday our assessment is that the risk has been minimal and can be managed by alternative procedures to maintain the highest safest standards. |
| "We call on the government urgently to adopt new policies that would allow us to resume flying. Safety is the overriding priority for an airline. We use our expertise in risk assessment across a wide range of safety issues to make decisions on the safe operation of flights every day. | "We call on the government urgently to adopt new policies that would allow us to resume flying. Safety is the overriding priority for an airline. We use our expertise in risk assessment across a wide range of safety issues to make decisions on the safe operation of flights every day. |
| "We believe that we should be allowed to take the same responsibility over safety issues over the recent volcanic eruptions in Iceland." | "We believe that we should be allowed to take the same responsibility over safety issues over the recent volcanic eruptions in Iceland." |
| Flights in the UK and across Europe have been grounded after an Icelandic volcano erupted last Wednesday. | Flights in the UK and across Europe have been grounded after an Icelandic volcano erupted last Wednesday. |
| The BA test flight took off from London Heathrow Airport at 1755 BST on Sunday before flying 550 miles over the Atlantic Ocean and returning to Cardiff airport two and three-quarter hours later. | The BA test flight took off from London Heathrow Airport at 1755 BST on Sunday before flying 550 miles over the Atlantic Ocean and returning to Cardiff airport two and three-quarter hours later. |
| Priorities | Priorities |
| A Cardiff Airport spokesman has said managers there would be meeting airline and tourism chiefs to draw up plans for when flights started again. | A Cardiff Airport spokesman has said managers there would be meeting airline and tourism chiefs to draw up plans for when flights started again. |
| One of the issues will be deciding on priorities, as to whether to concentrate on repatriating stranded passengers or carry on normal schedules. | One of the issues will be deciding on priorities, as to whether to concentrate on repatriating stranded passengers or carry on normal schedules. |
| The spokesman said airlines did not have many extra planes available. | The spokesman said airlines did not have many extra planes available. |
| Passengers on package holidays would be looked after by tour operators, effectively extending their holidays, but independent travellers would have more of a problem, he added. | Passengers on package holidays would be looked after by tour operators, effectively extending their holidays, but independent travellers would have more of a problem, he added. |
| Ferry operators in Wales have seen significant increases in passenger numbers since the National Air Traffic Service (Nats) halted all flights in the UK. | Ferry operators in Wales have seen significant increases in passenger numbers since the National Air Traffic Service (Nats) halted all flights in the UK. |
| Fastnet Line, which operates services between Cork in Ireland and Swansea, has put on extra sailings to cope with demand. | Fastnet Line, which operates services between Cork in Ireland and Swansea, has put on extra sailings to cope with demand. |
| "We're taking 400-500 bookings a day and normally we would be taking from 100 to 130 per day," said a spokesperson. | "We're taking 400-500 bookings a day and normally we would be taking from 100 to 130 per day," said a spokesperson. |
| Rail operators have added extra capacity to services to Holyhead in Anglesey and Fishguard in Pembrokeshire. | Rail operators have added extra capacity to services to Holyhead in Anglesey and Fishguard in Pembrokeshire. |
| Ferris Coaches, which operate out of Nantgarw in south Wales, are sending four double-decker buses to Spain on Monday to collect people in resorts there, and more will be despatched on Tuesday and Thursday. | Ferris Coaches, which operate out of Nantgarw in south Wales, are sending four double-decker buses to Spain on Monday to collect people in resorts there, and more will be despatched on Tuesday and Thursday. |
| The company's Jason Ferris said they sold 300 seats in four hours on Sunday and had a waiting list of 200 people. | The company's Jason Ferris said they sold 300 seats in four hours on Sunday and had a waiting list of 200 people. |
| "The problem I've got is getting drivers. It's on our peak season so driver availability isn't great," he said. | "The problem I've got is getting drivers. It's on our peak season so driver availability isn't great," he said. |
| "We're calling up part time drivers and have some based in the south of France. | "We're calling up part time drivers and have some based in the south of France. |
| "But I had so many calls yesterday if I had 100 coaches I could have filled them. I've never known anything like it, it's unbelievable." | "But I had so many calls yesterday if I had 100 coaches I could have filled them. I've never known anything like it, it's unbelievable." |
| The company is dropping people off in Reading, Swindon and Bristol en route to Cardiff. | The company is dropping people off in Reading, Swindon and Bristol en route to Cardiff. |
| The Foreign Office website (www.fco.gov.uk) contains advice for stranded UK citizens. | The Foreign Office website (www.fco.gov.uk) contains advice for stranded UK citizens. |
| UK citizens needing consular assistance can also contact the embassy in the country they are in. Contact details are available on the Foreign Office website. | UK citizens needing consular assistance can also contact the embassy in the country they are in. Contact details are available on the Foreign Office website. |
| An emergency number - 020 7008 0000 - is available for relatives of those stranded who are concerned about their safety or well-being. | An emergency number - 020 7008 0000 - is available for relatives of those stranded who are concerned about their safety or well-being. |