Wednesday, May 5, 2010

New ash cloud closes further UK airports

New ash cloud closes further UK airports

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has warned volcanic ash from Iceland remains a threat to UK airspace, as more airports suspend operations.

Earlier today the CAA closed airports in Northern Ireland and Scotland, with Glasgow, Prestwick, Stornoway and Benbecula, with thousands of passengers subsequently seeing their flights cancelled.

Belfast City, Belfast International, Ronaldsway (Isle of Man) and Edinburgh Airports were all added to this list at 13:00 today, with operations suspended until at least this evening.

However, Inverness Airport is now open.

The ash cloud – which has blown across the Atlantic from Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland – has also spread to northern England, with the potential for the no-fly zone to extend further.

“The situation remains changeable, so passengers expecting to travel today and tomorrow from airports in Scotland, Northern Ireland, the north-west England, Wales and the West Country should contact their airlines to check whether their flight is operating,” said a CAA statement.

At present that CAA does not expect airports in the south of England to be affected, and will present its next assessment at 18:00.

Further Disruption

In response Ryanair has cancelled all planned departures from Belfast, Derry, Edinburgh and Glasgow airports until at least midnight.

Flybe has also cancelled all departures from Belfast, Isle of Man and Glasgow for the remainder of the day.

The government body is offering passengers the latest information on their rights should a flight be cancelled here.