Ash cloud disruption shifts towards Europe
Irish airspace remained clear and UK flights began returning to normal this morning as disruption caused by the diminishing Icelandic ash cloud shifted towards northern Europe.
The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) in its 8am update confirmed that there will be no impact in Irish airspace for at least the next 24 hours.
"All Irish airports remain open," the IAA said.
"However, a small number of European destinations may be affected by the ash cloud thereby impacting on flights to / from Irish airports."
Passengers planning to travel by air over the coming days are advised to regularly check their airline websites in advance of going to the airport.
Meanwhile flights at airports in Britain returned to normal today after high levels of volcanic ash from the Icelandic eruption cleared UK skies.
But airlines, including British Airways, had to axe some German services as the ash cloud moved over northern Europe.
And there were also concerns that high ash densities could return to the UK on Friday.
Air traffic control company Nats said UK skies would be clear of high levels of ash until at least 7pm today.
The all-clear followed the axing of a number of flights from Scottish airports yesterday and also from Newcastle airport as high levels of ash hung over Scotland and parts of northern England.
Today the problem switched to Germany. British Airways cancelled one London-Hamburg and two Hamburg-London flights today and budget carrier easyJet also axed some German flights.
EasyJet said Hamburg airport would be closed until 2pm UK time and Berlin’s Schonefeld and Tegel airports were also expected to be shut this morning.
EasyJet added that more of its flights could be cancelled later.
Ryanair said it had axed all its flights in and out of the German airports of Bremen, Lubeck and Magdeburg until 1pm UK time.
The high-level density areas of ash have been designated ``red zones'' by Britain's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary said his airline had flown a test flight through a red zone in Scotland and found no evidence of volcanic ash.
Mr O’Leary castigated the CAA and the Met Office, saying the red zone was “mythical”.
BA also sent up a test plane to judge ash levels.
Today, Willie Walsh, chief executive of International Airlines Group – formed from the merger of BA and Iberia – said the test plane flew in a red zone for 45 minutes and had “found nothing”.
Commenting on this today, UK Transport Secretary Philip Hammond said the BA flight had been CAA-authorised and the information gathered would now be studied.
Speaking on Sky News, Mr Hammond said Mr O’Leary’s remarks were “not at all helpful”.
He said: “Safety of passengers and aircraft is our number one priority and we will not be bullied by Mr O’Leary or anyone else from our safe approach.”
Mr Hammond said the ash cloud was expected to come back to the UK on Friday but it could return at such high altitude that aircraft may be able to fly beneath it.
He added that the returning cloud might have become dispersed enough not to cause any problems.
