MONDAY ASH ALERT – “No-fly” maintained until Tuesday
Restrictions on flights from UK airports have been further extended until 01.00 tomorrow morning (Tuesday).
The National Air Traffic Service gave a revised update at 08.30 today and will issue a further update on the situation at 15.00.
NATS had previously further extended restrictions from 07.00 until at least 19.00 (local time) today.
Extending the limitations into a sixth day, NATS said "conditions around the movement of the layers of volcanic ash cloud over the UK remain dynamic".
Reports suggested that almost seven million passengers have been affected and 63,000 flights cancelled as EU transport ministers prepared for emergency talks to try to ease the travel crisis.
With at least 200,000 British travellers stuck abroad, cruise ships are being deployed to help bring people home.
The possibility of the Royal Navy being deployed to help in the rescue effiort emerged as airlines challenged the severity of the flight clampdown.
British Airways chief executive Willie Walsh took a three-hour test flight in a Boeing 747 yesterday over the Atlantic assess the impact od the ash cloud on engines and whether it is safe to fly.
NATS said it was in "close dialogue" with the Met office and UK air safety regulator the Civil Aviation Authority "in respect of the international civil aviation policy we follow in applying restrictions to use of airspace. We are still awaiting CAA guidance".
It added: "We are working closely with the Government, airports and airlines, and airframe and aero engine manufacturers to get a better understanding of the effects of the ash cloud and to seek solutions."
All BA flights today have been cancelled to and from London airports amid suggestions that fights will remain grounded until Thursday at the earliest.
Ryanair has suspended operations until Wednesday lunctime, Bmi has grounded all flights from Heathrow today and Flybe cancelled all Monday flying.
Airlines are estimated to be losing at least $200 million a day due to the disruption, according to IATA.
*See linked stories.
by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
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