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Ash cloud closes Irish airspace | Ash cloud closes Irish airspace |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Ryanair flights to and from Belfast City Airport have been cancelled until 1400 BST on Tuesday due to volcanic ash drifting from Iceland. | |
A Belfast City airport spokesman said all other flights and airlines are operating as normal. | |
The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) have grounded all flights to and from the Republic from 0700 BST on Tuesday. | |
The UK aviation body Nats has not announced restrictions on UK airspace, but will be monitoring the situation. | |
The IAA said the restrictions on Irish airpsace would be in place until at least 1300 BST. | |
Ryanair also said its flights between north-west England and Dublin, Cork and Galway have also been cancelled. | |
The IAA said the decision to close its airspace was based on information from the Volcanic Ash Advice Centre (VAAC). | |
The no fly zone will affect Dublin, Shannon Galway, Sligo, Ireland West (Knock), Donegal, Cork and Kerry. | The no fly zone will affect Dublin, Shannon Galway, Sligo, Ireland West (Knock), Donegal, Cork and Kerry. |
Flights from the North West of England to Ireland have also been cancelled. Sixteen services from Manchester and Liverpool airport have been affected. | |
Irish carrier Aer Arann has cancelled flights on Tuesday within the zone, with passengers advised to check with the airlines before travelling. | |
Easyjet had said its services in Scotland and Northern Ireland could face disruption. | |
The IAA said the decision 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. | The IAA said the decision 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. |
"The latest information we have is that some of the denser volcanic ash, that's the no-fly zone, is over the Donegal area and we are concerned about the north-easterly winds moving this down over the rest of the country," Mr Brennan said. | "The latest information we have is that some of the denser volcanic ash, that's the no-fly zone, is over the Donegal area and we are concerned about the north-easterly winds moving this down over the rest of the country," Mr Brennan said. |
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. |