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Half of European flights 'to fly' Half of European flights 'to fly'
(about 1 hour later)
About half of flights over Europe are expected to go ahead on Tuesday, the Eurocontrol air traffic agency says.About half of flights over Europe are expected to go ahead on Tuesday, the Eurocontrol air traffic agency says.
A limited number of flights have taken off in northern Europe after five days of a blanket no-fly zone caused by the spread of volcanic ash from Iceland. Some flights have been departing from Paris, Amsterdam and Frankfurt, after five days of a no-fly zone caused by the spread of Icelandic volcanic ash.
Planes have been departing from Paris, Amsterdam and Frankfurt among others - though many flights are still grounded. But major flight restrictions remain in place across most of the UK, and in Ireland, Finland, Germany and Poland.
A new ash cloud spreading from Iceland has meant that most of UK airspace, including London, remains closed. The eruption appears to be waning, but there have been reports of a new ash cloud heading towards mainland Europe.
Experts say southern Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano - which erupted last Wednesday for the second time in a month - has entered a new phase and is producing more lava rather than ash and dust. Scientists say southern Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano - which erupted last Wednesday for the second time in a month - is producing more lava, although the ash plume is now shrinking.
EUROPEAN AIRSPACE BELGIUM - Airspace open. Limited serviceBRITAIN - Airspace open over Scotland and Northern Ireland. Limited airspace over north of England. London airports closedDENMARK - Airspace above 16,600ft open. No landingsFRANCE - Limited flights from Paris to international destinations. Most airports openGERMANY - Airspace closed, with some exceptions, until 1800 GMT on Tuesday. Lufthansa planning to operate 200 flightsIRELAND - Airspace closedITALY - Airspace open. Handful of flights resumed in and out of MilanNETHERLANDS - Airspace open. Passenger flights arriving and departing in AmsterdamNORWAY - Airspace closedPOLAND - Airspace closedSPAIN - Airspace open; all airports operatingSWEDEN - Airspace open over central-northern SwedenSWITZERLAND - Airspace reopen class="" href="/2/hi/science/nature/8629609.stm">'No tolerance' rule for volcanic ash 'Cries of joy'
Brussels-based Eurocontrol says some 14,000 of Europe's 27,500 daily flights are expected to fly on Tuesday. Brussels-based Eurocontrol says some 14,000 of Europe's 27,500 daily flights were expected to fly on Tuesday.
The air traffic agency's deputy director of operations, Brian Flynn, said: "The outlook is optimistic that bit by bit, hopefully in a few days' time, the situation will be restored to normal movement of air passengers in Europe." EUROPEAN AIRSPACE BELGIUM - Airspace open. Limited serviceBRITAIN - Airspace open over Scotland and Northern Ireland. Limited airspace over north of England. London airports closedDENMARK - Airspace above 16,600ft open. No landingsFRANCE - Limited flights from Paris to international destinations. Most airports openGERMANY - Airspace closed, with some exceptions, until 1800 GMT on Tuesday. Lufthansa planning to operate 200 flightsIRELAND - Airspace closedITALY - Airspace open. Handful of flights resumed in and out of MilanNETHERLANDS - Airspace open. Passenger flights arriving and departing in AmsterdamNORWAY - Airspace reopenedPOLAND - Airspace closedSPAIN - Airspace open; all airports operatingSWEDEN - Airspace open over central-northern SwedenSWITZERLAND - Airspace reopened class="" href="/2/hi/science/nature/8629609.stm">'No tolerance' rule for volcanic ash
The air traffic agency said it was optimistic the situation would be back to normal in a few days' time.
Weary passengers cheered and clapped as flights took off from airports in Paris, Amsterdam and elsewhere.
"Everyone was screaming in the airplane from happiness," one passenger who flew from Amsterdam to New York told the news agency AP.
Norway's airport authority reopened all of the country's airspace on Tuesday afternoon until midnight.
Elsewhere in Scandinavia, airports in north-central Sweden were operating, Denmark's airspace was open to long-haul flights, but Finland's was shut.
The UK's air traffic control authority, Nats, said on Tuesday afternoon that much of Britain would remain a no-fly zone until at least 0100 on Wednesday.The UK's air traffic control authority, Nats, said on Tuesday afternoon that much of Britain would remain a no-fly zone until at least 0100 on Wednesday.
Only airspace in most of Scotland, Northern Ireland and parts of northern England will be open, said the agency. Only airspace in most of Scotland, Northern Ireland and parts of northern England will be open.
Nats added that the situation involving the volcano "continued to be variable". Nearly 300 British holiday-makers marooned in Santander, northern Spain, found a novel way to get home when they were picked up by a Royal Navy warship.
British Airways says it has cancelled all short-haul flights, but is hoping to operate long-haul flights after 1600 BST (1500 GMT).
In an effort to try to take control of the situation, EU transport ministers have created a core no-fly area, a limited-service zone and an open-skies area.
Nearly 300 holiday-makers marooned in Santander, northern Spain, found a novel way to get home when they were picked up by a Royal Navy warship.
They joined more than 450 British soldiers - waylaid by the ash cloud as they returned from Afghanistan - aboard the Portsmouth-bound HMS Albion.
It's this shared experience of facing a common challenge that I'll remember - my faith in human kindness is renewed Mark BokenfohrCanadian oil worker Getting home: Your storiesIt's this shared experience of facing a common challenge that I'll remember - my faith in human kindness is renewed Mark BokenfohrCanadian oil worker Getting home: Your stories
The first flights left Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport late on Monday. Dutch Transport Minister Camiel Eurlings said his country was "taking a lead" in restarting flights, but warned that further suspensions might prove necessary if the situation worsened. Poland, which had reopened four airports on Monday, closed them again on Tuesday.
Swiss and northern Italian airspace has reopened. The Swiss authorities said test flights had shown a considerable reduction in the amount of ash in the atmosphere and posed no threat to passenger safety. The Irish Aviation Authority said Shannon airport in the west was reopening, but the airports in Dublin and Cork remained shut.
Flights have resumed out of Paris' Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports, which are operating at about 30% capacity. In an effort to try to take control of the situation, EU transport ministers have created a core no-fly area, a limited-service zone and an open-skies area.
The skies over Germany are to remain closed until 1800 GMT, with some exceptions. The first flights left Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport late on Monday.
The German carrier, Lufthansa, said it was planning about 200 flights on Tuesday, taking advantage of special permission to fly visually rather than relying on instruments and keeping in constant touch with air traffic controllers. Swiss and Italian airspace has also reopened. The Swiss authorities said test flights had shown the ash in the atmosphere and posed no threat to passenger safety.
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ABC reporter Neal Karlinksy: "The explosions... are silent"ABC reporter Neal Karlinksy: "The explosions... are silent"
Flights have resumed out of Paris' Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports, which are operating at about 30% capacity.
With some exceptions, the skies over Germany are to remain closed until 1800 GMT.
In Spain, where all airports are open, the government has offered to let Britain and other European countries use its airports as stopovers to get passengers moving.In Spain, where all airports are open, the government has offered to let Britain and other European countries use its airports as stopovers to get passengers moving.
Our correspondent in Madrid, Sarah Rainsford, says that British passengers are starting to arrive - some from as far away as South Africa and Israel.Our correspondent in Madrid, Sarah Rainsford, says that British passengers are starting to arrive - some from as far away as South Africa and Israel.
She says the British government is laying on 100 coaches to transport its stranded citizens on the final leg of their journey home.
Financial impactFinancial impact
She says the British government is laying on 100 coaches to transport its stranded citizens on the final leg of their journey home.
EXPERT ADVICE Latest health advice Latest: Air passenger rights Q&A: Volcanic ash cloud Travel latest
Meanwhile, the EU Commissioner for Transport, Siim Kallas, has rejected criticism that the EU took too long to respond to the crisis.Meanwhile, the EU Commissioner for Transport, Siim Kallas, has rejected criticism that the EU took too long to respond to the crisis.
Addressing the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Mr Kallas said the matter was not "in the hands of arbitrary decisions", as the lives of people were at stake.Addressing the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Mr Kallas said the matter was not "in the hands of arbitrary decisions", as the lives of people were at stake.
EXPERT ADVICE Latest health advice Latest: Air passenger rights Q&A: Volcanic ash cloud Travel latest
The airline industry says its losses have soared to over $1bn (£650m; 740m euros), since much of Europe's airspace was closed last week because of ash from the volcano.The airline industry says its losses have soared to over $1bn (£650m; 740m euros), since much of Europe's airspace was closed last week because of ash from the volcano.
The flight ban was imposed because in the high temperatures of an engine turbine, ash can turn to molten glass and cripple the engine.The flight ban was imposed because in the high temperatures of an engine turbine, ash can turn to molten glass and cripple the engine.
In a sign of the crisis' impact on Asia's export-driven economies, the Japanese car giant, Nissan, says it is suspending several production lines due to the shortage of parts from Ireland. Honda will also partly halt production. In a sign of the impact of the crisis on Asia's export-driven economies, the Japanese car giant, Nissan, says it is suspending several production lines due to the shortage of parts from Ireland. Honda will also partly halt production.
The shroud of fine mineral dust particles from the volcano has spread from the Arctic Circle in the north to the French Mediterranean coast in the south, and from Spain into Russia.