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/scotland/highlands_and_islands/8658523.stm

The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 6 Version 7
Ash cloud closes islands airspace Flights resume to Scots islands
(about 5 hours later)
Air passengers booked on flights over remote parts of Scotland are facing disruption as a fresh cloud of volcanic ash drifts south from Iceland. Flights over remote parts of Scotland have resumed following disruption caused by a fresh cloud of volcanic ash from Iceland.
Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd said flights to and from the islands of Tiree, Islay, Barra and Benbecula and Campbeltown in Argyll were suspended. The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) shut the airspace over the Hebrides at 1800 BST on Monday but reopened shortly after 1300 BST.
Parts of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland have been affected. Parts of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland were also affected.
Apart from the no-fly zone, normal air traffic control operations are expected within Scottish airspace. The Met Office has warned of the possibility of more ash drifting over parts of Scotland later.
The UK's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) closed airspace above the Outer Hebrides on Monday evening. The CAA said amounts of ash in the atmosphere had declined to levels where engine manufacturers agreed flight operations were safe, allowing the airspace to be reopened.
In a statement, the CAA said it informed airlines and airports that increased concentrations of volcanic ash were causing airspace closures in isolated parts of Scotland, affecting local airport operations on Monday and Tuesday morning. Air traffic control body Nats said there would be a small no-fly zone in the northwest corner of UK airspace, but this was unlikely to have an impact on flights.
No-fly zone Could resume
"Because ash concentrations exceed the levels agreed as safe by engine manufacturers, airspace over the Outer Hebrides was closed to all operations from 1800 BST on Monday, following Met Office advice," a CAA spokesman said. Flights to and from the west coast islands of Tiree, Islay, Barra and Benbecula, and Campbeltown on the Kintyre peninsula, were suspended earlier.
Stornoway Airport, based on the Isle of Lewis, is remaining open. Loganair said it could operate a normal service to the town. On its website, Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL) said all its airports were open for business and all flights to and from the islands would resume from 1300 BST.
Belfast International, Belfast City and City of Derry airports have been closed. HIAL urged travellers to check with airlines for the latest information on arrivals and departures.
The CAA said airspace over Northern Ireland would be closed from 0700 BST and aviation authorities in the Irish Republic said flights in and out of the country would be banned between 0700 and 1300 local time. Airline Loganair said four of its services between Glasgow and Islay and Campbeltown were cancelled earlier, but flights from Glasgow to Benbecula, Tiree and Stornoway could resume later.
It is thought transatlantic flights will be unaffected.
Aviation experts said the safety concerns were mostly based around aircraft taking off into the volcanic plume - rather than flying through it.
Passengers are being advised to check with their airlines before travelling.
Last month, tens of thousands of Britons faced delays or were stranded abroad when a large part of European airspace was closed by the eruption of Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano.Last month, tens of thousands of Britons faced delays or were stranded abroad when a large part of European airspace was closed by the eruption of Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano.