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European Airspace Starts to Reopen

   VOA News 21 April 2010
   An  aircraft  is  seen  after  the  start at the airport in Frankfurt,
   central Germany

Photo: AP

   An  aircraft  is  seen  after  the  start at the airport in Frankfurt,
   central Germany, 21 Apr 2010

   The  European  air  traffic control agency (Eurocontrol) says about 75
   percent  of  flights  will  operate  in Europe Wednesday, as countries
   start to lift restrictions caused by a huge cloud of volcanic ash from
   Iceland.
   The  airspace  over  several countries, including Britain and Germany,
   was  being  reopened  after  the  volcanic ash grounded air travel and
   stranded passengers across Europe for days.
   The  International Air Transport Association says the disruptions have
   cost  the  aviation  industry  a  least  $1.7  billion, including $400
   million each day during the first three days of grounding.
   Airlines  say it will take days to clear the backlog of passengers who
   have  been stuck in foreign airports for nearly a week, running out of
   patience and money.

      ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
   [1]Volcanic Ash Stops Europe FlightsâWhy Ash Is Dangerous (National
   Geographic)
      [2]An eruption in South Iceland (Icelandic meteorological institute
      [3]Volcanic Gases and Their Effects (U.S. Geological Survey)

   A British Airways flight from Vancouver, Canada was the first to touch
   down at London's Heathrow Airport late Tuesday night.
   Flights  were  also  allowed  to  take  off  from  Paris,  Madrid  and
   Amsterdam.
   Britain sent three navy ships across the English Channel to help bring
   stranded citizens home from continental Europe.
   Some  airline  executives  say  authorities may have been too hasty in
   grounding planes.
   The  head  of  the  International  Civil Aviation Authority - a United
   Nations  agency  dealing with air safety - says there are currently no
   global  standards  to  determine when it is safe to fly through an ash
   cloud.  Volcanic ash can cause jet engines to shut down in midflight.
   Iceland's  Meteorological  Office  says the volcano was entering a new
   phase Tuesday, and that the ash cloud is diminishing.
   But  scientists  say  volcanoes are notoriously unpredictable and that
   the situation could change.
   The  volcano has affected businesses as far away as Africa, China, and
   Japan, where companies have been unable to ship products to Europe.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

References

   1. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/04/100415-volcanic-  ash-cancels-flights-airports-airline-europe-iceland-volcano/
   2. http://en.vedur.is/earthquakes-and-  volcanism/articles/nr/1852
   3. http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hazards/gas/index.php

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