Dense ash cloud disrupts Scottish flights
Source: Agencies |
May 24, 2011, Tuesday
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Print Edition
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A DENSE cloud of ash from an Icelandic volcano was being blown toward Scotland yesterday, causing one airline to cancel nearly all its flights and officials to warn of possible further flight disruptions.
The disruption from the Grimsvotn volcano is not expected to be as great as that caused by another volcano last year that led to the grounding of almost all air traffic in Europe for several days amid fears that the ash could cause engines to stall. Systems and procedures have been improved, and the ash is currently not expected to move into continental Europe.
Britain's Civil Aviation Authority said it now appears that ash could reach Scottish airspace from today onwards and affect other parts of the UK and Ireland later in the week. Glasgow-based regional airline Loganair canceled 36 flights scheduled for today. It said its flights between Scottish islands would be unaffected.
Andrew Haines, Chief Executive of the CAA, said: "Our number one priority is to ensure the safety of people both onboard aircraft and on the ground. We can't rule out disruption, but the new arrangements that have been put in place since last year's ash cloud mean the aviation sector is better prepared and will help to reduce any disruption in the event that volcanic ash affects UK airspace."
Many airlines said authorities overestimated the danger to planes from the abrasive ash last year, and overreacted by closing airspace for five days.
CAA spokesman Jonathan Nicholson said authorities this time would give airlines information about the location and density of ash clouds. Any airline that wanted to fly would have to present a safety report to aviation authorities in order to be allowed to fly. He said most British airlines had permission to fly through medium-density ash clouds, but none had asked for permission to fly through high-density clouds, classified as having over 4,000 micrograms of ash per cubic meter.
Even at that concentration of volcanic ash, experts said the air would not differ much from unaffected airspace, but officials say the ash particles can sandblast windows and stop jet engines. The international pilots' federation warned yesterday that the cloud still posed a potential danger.
The disruption from the Grimsvotn volcano is not expected to be as great as that caused by another volcano last year that led to the grounding of almost all air traffic in Europe for several days amid fears that the ash could cause engines to stall. Systems and procedures have been improved, and the ash is currently not expected to move into continental Europe.
Britain's Civil Aviation Authority said it now appears that ash could reach Scottish airspace from today onwards and affect other parts of the UK and Ireland later in the week. Glasgow-based regional airline Loganair canceled 36 flights scheduled for today. It said its flights between Scottish islands would be unaffected.
Andrew Haines, Chief Executive of the CAA, said: "Our number one priority is to ensure the safety of people both onboard aircraft and on the ground. We can't rule out disruption, but the new arrangements that have been put in place since last year's ash cloud mean the aviation sector is better prepared and will help to reduce any disruption in the event that volcanic ash affects UK airspace."
Many airlines said authorities overestimated the danger to planes from the abrasive ash last year, and overreacted by closing airspace for five days.
CAA spokesman Jonathan Nicholson said authorities this time would give airlines information about the location and density of ash clouds. Any airline that wanted to fly would have to present a safety report to aviation authorities in order to be allowed to fly. He said most British airlines had permission to fly through medium-density ash clouds, but none had asked for permission to fly through high-density clouds, classified as having over 4,000 micrograms of ash per cubic meter.
Even at that concentration of volcanic ash, experts said the air would not differ much from unaffected airspace, but officials say the ash particles can sandblast windows and stop jet engines. The international pilots' federation warned yesterday that the cloud still posed a potential danger.
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