 |
 |
|
Air Safety Concerns Return As New Icelandic Volcano Erupts Reports that the ash cloud from the volcano Grimsvotn that erupted in Iceland over the weekend will drift over to the UK by tomorrow, has once again signaled possible disruption to air travel. Whilst scientists say that the ash cloud is not so dense as when Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull erupted, nor consists of the type of ash that was previously emitted by the volcano, it is thought that the civil aviation authority will take no chances. As a result disruption to air travel, and certainly from northern airports such as Glasgow Edinburgh, Newcastle, Liverpool and Manchester; cannot need be totally ruled out. Today, 24th April the media are reporting that around out 400 passengers spent the night at Edinburgh Airport as thousands of passengers face UK flight cancellations because of drifting ash from the Icelandic volcanic eruption. European air traffic controllers are reported as saying that 252 flights had been cancelled so far. However Ryanair said it had made a test flight over Scotland and challenged a ruling some flights should be grounded. Passengers are being warned once again to check with their airports and at the time of writing, the UK Civil Aviation Authority has announced that it sees likely disruption to flights on Tuesday due to the volcanic ash from Iceland. In the meantime, the rights of the airlines to determine whether or not they fly during a volcano eruption was brought into question with the news that Richard Hammond and O'Leary ended up in a rather taut exchange in the BBC News office over claims that one of Ryanair's planes flew through the ash cloud. The BBC News Website reports: Chief executive Michael O'Leary said: "We've got written confirmation from the engine and our airframe manufacturers that we're safe to fly even within these red zones. "And yet yesterday, the combination of bureaucratic incompetence between the Met office, with these nonsensical charts, and the CAA closed the skies over Glasgow." But a CAA spokesperson said: "The CAA can confirm that at no time did a Ryanair flight enter the notified area of high contamination ash over Scotland this morning." However, it is also reported that Ryanair has told management at Edinburgh Airport it intends to fly its six scheduled flights out of the airport from 1.45pm despite the ash cloud disription to flights leaving and landing at the airport. Keep up to date with news of the Ash Cloud's position here Up to date travel news from UK airports can be checked out here Source: BBC news
|
 |