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Flights cancelled as ash cloud heads towards UK Flights cancelled as ash cloud heads towards UK
(about 1 hour later)
Flights in Scotland have been cancelled by a regional airline as volcanic ash continues to head towards the UK. Flights in Scotland have been cancelled by two airlines as Icelandic volcanic ash continues to head towards the UK.
Loganair, based at Glasgow airport, has cancelled 36 flights on Tuesday as the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) warns that disruption cannot be ruled out. Glasgow-based Loganair has cancelled 36 flights on Tuesday, and Eastern Airways cancelled 50, as ministers warned that further disruption was possible.
Analysts expect the ash cloud from an Icelandic volcano to reach Scotland and Northern Ireland by Monday evening. Analysts expect the ash cloud from the Grimsvotn volcano to reach Scotland and Northern Ireland by Monday evening.
The event comes a year after ash from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano spread across Europe, causing huge disruption. It comes a year after ash from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano spread across Europe, causing huge disruption.
'Better prepared' Andrew Haines, chief executive of the Civil Aviation Authority, said he hoped to avoid a repeat of last year's travel chaos, but he admitted it was still unclear how badly flights would be affected.
Andrew Haines, chief executive of the CAA, said: "Our number one priority is to ensure the safety of people both onboard aircraft and on the ground. "We know so much more about the volcanoes. We have an improved model.
"We can't rule out disruption, but the new arrangements that have been put in place since last year's ash cloud mean the aviation sector is better prepared and will help to reduce any disruption in the event that volcanic ash affects UK airspace." "We have better measuring equipment and we have better relationships with airlines so it should be much better but we're still at the hands of both the weather and the volcano; those are the two uncertainties."
A Loganair spokesman said Met Office forecasts indicated that a high density of ash would be present in large parts of Scottish airspace throughout Tuesday, clearing into Wednesday morning. Transport Secretary Philip Hammond said there had already been "modest delays" to flights, particularly those crossing the Atlantic, and there could be further disruption later in the week.
"Clearly, this is a natural phenomenon which we cannot control, but the UK is now much better prepared to deal with an ash eruption than last year."
During last April's six-day shutdown only a handful of flights took off or landed in the UK.
Thousands of Britons found themselves stranded overseas forcing many to make long and expensive journeys home by land. Airlines estimated the shutdown cost them $1.7bn (£1.1bn).
The CAA said ash levels would now be graded as low, medium or high, and airlines would be notified if levels reached medium or high.
Airlines would then consider whether to fly, according to risk assessments already carried out, the CAA added.
Loganair operates services from Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh to Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles, as well as Islay, Tiree and Campbeltown. It also provides a service from Dundee to Birmingham and Belfast.
A spokesman for the airline said Met Office forecasts indicated that a high density of ash would be present in large parts of Scottish airspace throughout Tuesday, clearing into Wednesday morning.
It has cancelled almost all flights on Tuesday and advised customers due to travel to contact them to rearrange flights. Only inter-island routes in Orkney are unaffected.It has cancelled almost all flights on Tuesday and advised customers due to travel to contact them to rearrange flights. Only inter-island routes in Orkney are unaffected.
Meanwhile, Eastern Airways will not be operating any services in or out of Scottish airspace on Tuesday.
The Scottish Government's resilience team said it would continue to monitor the situation as it confirmed disruption to air travel was expected on Tuesday.
The UK's air traffic control service, Nats, said volcanic ash was forecast to affect parts of Scotland between 1800 BST and midnight on Monday.The UK's air traffic control service, Nats, said volcanic ash was forecast to affect parts of Scotland between 1800 BST and midnight on Monday.
Services may be affected from Barra, Benbecula and Tiree.
The Met Office, which runs Europe's Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre, earlier said there was a possibility of ash moving across the UK towards the end of the week.The Met Office, which runs Europe's Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre, earlier said there was a possibility of ash moving across the UK towards the end of the week.
But a spokesman said the weather was much more changeable than at the time of last year's eruption and there was a lot more uncertainty. href="http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/news/latest-news/?view=News&id=599408682" >The Foreign Office is advising passengers to remain in regular contact with their travel agent or airline for the latest news on the status of flights and bookings.
The CAA said ash levels would be graded as low, medium or high, and airlines would be notified if levels reached medium or high.
Airlines would then consider whether to fly, according to risk assessments already carried out, the CAA added.
Foreign Secretary William Hague, speaking before a meeting of EU counterparts in Brussels, said he did not expect a blanket closure of UK airspace.
"I think we are far better prepared and we'll have far better information and intelligence which allows us to adjust things without necessarily the blanket bans on flights which we saw last year, but of course it depends on how the situation develops," he said.
The Foreign Office advised passengers to remain in regular contact with their travel agent or airline for the latest news on the status of flights and bookings and said British airports were currently not affected.
Vast area
The Icelandic Met Office said the ash cloud could touch north-west Scotland on Monday evening, reaching about 20,000ft (6,100 metres) below the normal cruising altitude of commercial aircraft.The Icelandic Met Office said the ash cloud could touch north-west Scotland on Monday evening, reaching about 20,000ft (6,100 metres) below the normal cruising altitude of commercial aircraft.
A spokesman said ash at higher altitudes than this was moving north-west and towards Greenland. The Grimsvotn volcano in Vatnajokull National Park began erupting on Saturday with ash rising to 20km (12 miles) but, although still active, is now not as powerful with a plume of 13km (8 miles).
The Grimsvotn volcano began erupting on Saturday with ash rising to 20km (12 miles) but, although still active, is now not as powerful with a plume of 13km (8 miles). Iceland's airspace has been closed but may open later on Monday, according to the British Foreign Office.
The cloud is expected to cover a vast crescent across the North Atlantic from northern Russia to the British Isles. The country's main international airport, Keflavik airport near the capital Reykjavik, has been closed but Iceland's aviation authority said it would open at 2000bst.
During last year's eruption UK airspace was shut down completely by the authorities as a precaution, but this time airlines will make their own decisions about whether it is safe to fly. Ash from the volcano, which is 60 miles (97km) from the nearest human settlements, has settled over farmland and livestock, causing difficulties for some farmers and tourists have been evacuated from the country's main national parks.
The National Airspace Crisis Management Executive is meeting every six hours to assess the situation.
Looking better
Icelandic air traffic control has created a no-fly zone around the volcano and cancelled all domestic flights. The country's main international airport, Keflavik airport near the capital Reykjavik, has been closed.
Iceland's aviation authority said the airport might open again on Monday or overnight.
Spokeswoman Hjordis Gudmundsdottir said: "It looks better today and we are hoping to reopen Keflavik airport later today or tonight. We are not quite sure at what hour, but at least we are looking at it being possible."
She said there were indications the ash cloud could be clearing above Iceland.
Icelandic Foreign Minister Ossur Skarphedinsson told the BBC: "It's having quite an impact in the local areas but we are lucky this time by the fact that the eruption is in the middle of a huge glacier.
"It's 60 miles (97km) to the nearest human settlements but nevertheless it is a blow to the local farmers."
He added: "It remains to be seen what kind of damage there will be. This particular volcano has a history showing that it takes two to 10, even 14 days, to blow its fury whereas last year's volcano was much more lasting."
Large particles
The Grimsvotn volcano lies beneath the ice of the uninhabited Vatnajokull glacier in south-east Iceland. The latest eruption is its most powerful eruption in 100 years.The Grimsvotn volcano lies beneath the ice of the uninhabited Vatnajokull glacier in south-east Iceland. The latest eruption is its most powerful eruption in 100 years.
However, University of Iceland geophysicist Pall Einarsson said the eruption was on a different scale to the one last year. Experts say this eruption is on a different scale to the one last year and ash particles are larger and, as a result, fall to the ground more quickly.
"It is not likely to be anything on the scale that was produced last year when the Eyjafjallajokull volcano erupted," he said.
"That was an unusual volcano, an unusual ash size distribution and unusual weather pattern, which all conspired together to make life difficult in Europe."
The ash particles from this eruption are said to be larger than last year and, as a result, fall to the ground more quickly.
Iceland has been badly affected by the current eruption, with ash falling across the country including Reykjavik.
Tourists have been evacuated from the country's main national parks and farming has been hit.
Icelandic Prime Minister Johanna Sigurdardottir said the country's government would do whatever it could to compensate people living near the eruption for any damages suffered.
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