UK airports re-open but there's chaos
Monday May 17, 2010 - Email this article to a friend

It's back.

Airports across large parts of the UK have been subject to closures. 

On Sunday it was the turn of airports in the North including all those in Northern Ireland, Ronaldsway, Prestwick, Carlisle, Manchester, Liverpool, Doncaster, Humberside, Leeds Bradford and East Midlands and some Scottish island airports including Campbeltown, Islay and Barra.

Overnight the London airports were affected and they are severely disrupted again. Flights resumed at 07.00 in the morning but are subjet to retrictions.

The government has confirmed that work is going on between the Civil Aviation Authority, officials and engine manufacturers to see if planes can fly through higher concentrations of ash.

The Met Office says it will be producing a 5-day ash forecast and this will be studied by the National Air Traffic control Services (NATS).

Grounded in Scotland

Previously the forecast was only given for 18 hours ahead.

The Met Office charts will be updated every six hours. The ash plume is currently about 25,000ft high.

The wind is expected to change direction in the middle of the week, blowing it away from the UK.

The new Transport Secretary, Philip Hammond, said 5-day forecasts would ensure "airlines, other transport providers and the public had the best possible information."

But he stressed they were just forecasts and the situation could change. 

Predicting the weather is, after all, not an exact science.

Empty skies again over the south-east"Nats will advise of any airspace closures as and when they become necessary and I urge passengers to check with their airlines before taking any action," Mr Hammond said.

The government stressed that passenger safety will always be the number one priority.

"We are working closely with the Met Office and with the CAA, which agrees no-fly zones based on Met Office data, and will issue any further notice on our website as necessary," says NATS.

16th May You Tube video from ITN with maps of current restricted airspace.

Last month European airspace closed for an unprecedented 5 days and 10m passengers were affected after ash from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano threatened safety.

There are also concerns that its neighbouring and much bigger volcano, Katla, could erupt.  We reported on the worries earlier in the week.

The story also has the latest volcano video of the eruption.

Now we understand that the eruption of the volcano has cost airlines, travel companies and taxpayers many millions of pounds.

And we also understand that many people have been seriously inconveinience too.

But there is a lighter side to it all.

Like how on earth do you pronounce Eyjafjallajokull. Go on, have a go.

Well we will be bringing you a short video later to help, so do check back for that.

A few people have asked us why we are covering volcanic eruptions on a ski web site.

We first did it as it had a major impact on people returning from their Easter ski holiday. 

The articles and coverage received thousands and thousands of hits so we have carried on and interest has been maintained.  It is a fascinating subject and a volcano is, after all, a mountain!

And you can even ski in Iceland as this reporter told us as the volcano rather interupted her ski plans last month.

If you are new to PlanetSKI and have found us via a search engine don't forget to look round other areas of the site.

If you are a skier or snowboarder we reckon you'll be pleasantly surprised.

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