This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/8658613.stm
The article has changed 24 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 11 | Version 12 |
---|---|
Ash cloud closes all NI airspace | |
(40 minutes later) | |
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has said all Northern Ireland airspace will be closed from 0700 BST on Tuesday due to volcanic ash drifting from Iceland. | |
Belfast International, Belfast City and City of Derry airports will all be closed until further notice. | |
Ash levels from a volcano in Iceland were predicted to exceed acceptable levels for jet engines. | |
The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) also grounded flights to and from the Republic from 0700 BST on Tuesday. | |
The IAA said the restrictions on Irish airpsace would be in place until at least 1300 BST. | The IAA said the restrictions on Irish airpsace would be in place until at least 1300 BST. |
Air passengers expecting to travel to or from any of the affected airports are advised to contact the airport or their airlines to find out more information about their flights. | |
The British CAA said they are closely monitoring the situation and will update the advice to operators and passengers on Tuesday morning following the latest updates from the Met Office. | |
Airspace over the Outer Hebrides was closed to all operations on Monday at 1800 BST following advice from the Met Office. | |
The IAA said the decision to close its airspace was based on information from the Volcanic Ash Advice Centre (VAAC). | The IAA said the decision to close its airspace was based on information from the Volcanic Ash Advice Centre (VAAC). |
The body said the move to ground aircraft was based on the safety risks to crews and passengers as a result of the drift south of the volcanic ash cloud caused by the north-easterly winds. | |
Eamon Brennan, IAA chief executive, said winds have already pushed part of the volcanic ash cloud down over part of the centre of Ireland. | Eamon Brennan, IAA chief executive, said winds have already pushed part of the volcanic ash cloud down over part of the centre of Ireland. |
Flights over Europe were hit by a six-day shutdown of airspace last month over fears of the effect on jet engines of ash from a volcanic eruption in Iceland. | Flights over Europe were hit by a six-day shutdown of airspace last month over fears of the effect on jet engines of ash from a volcanic eruption in Iceland. |