Europe's airlines and airports question flight bans
Topic: europe travel, france24, bbc new

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Page last updated at 17:53 GMT, Sunday, 18 April 2010 18:53 UK

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by Emily Straton, BBC News Analyst, for the BBC's Biodun Iginla

Map showing spread of volcanic ash from Iceland

Europe's air industry has called for an urgent review of flight bans imposed because of volcanic ash from Iceland.

The bodies representing most European airlines and airports have questioned the need for the unprecedented curbs, which affect millions of travellers.

Airlines that have carried out test flights say planes showed no obvious damage after flying through the ash.

EU Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas said he hoped 50% of Europe's airspace would be risk-free on Monday.

He said the current situation was "not sustainable" and European authorities were working to find a solution that did not compromise safety.

EU Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas: "We have an unprecedented situation"

About 20 European countries have closed their airspace and some have extended flight bans.

The flight bans came amid fears that the ash - a mixture of glass, sand and rock particles - can seriously damage aircraft engines. Airlines are estimated to be losing some £130m ($200m) a day.

The two airline bodies, ACI Europe and AEA, said: "The eruption of the Icelandic volcano is not an unprecedented event and the procedures applied in other parts of the world for volcanic eruptions do not appear to require the kind of restrictions that are presently being imposed in Europe."

COUNTRIES AFFECTED

Airspace closed:

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, UK

Partial closures:

Italy (northern airspace closed until Monday)

Norway (limited flights in north)

Flights operating:

Greece, Portugal, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, Spain

Live updates on cloud

In pictures: Europe grounded

Economic impact of closures

One of the airlines that carried out tests over the weekend was Dutch carrier KLM.

Its chief executive Peter Hartman, who was on board, said there was "nothing unusual" about the flight.

"If the technical examination confirms this... we then hope to get permission as soon as possible to partially restart our operations," he added.

Steven Verhagen, vice-president of the Dutch Airline Pilots Association, told the Associated Press news agency: "In our opinion there is absolutely no reason to worry about resuming flights."

Meanwhile, British Airways was conducting its own test flight on Sunday afternoon, with Willie Walsh, a trained pilot, on board. The BBC's business editor, Robert Peston, understands that the airline fears it might not be allowed to fly normal services until Thursday at the earliest.

Germany's two biggest airlines, Lufthansa and Air Berlin, also said they had carried out test flights without apparent damage, as did Air France.

Day turns to night as the dense ash cloud leaves Eyjafjallajokull in the dark

Air Berlin spokeswoman Diana Daedelow told the BBC: "It is astonishing that these findings... have seemingly been ignored in the decision-making process of the aviation safety authorities."

Worsening disruption

UK Transport Secretary Lord Adonis, said "urgent discussions" were taking place between European and international agencies to ease the chaos.

"We want to be able to resume flights as soon as possible, but safety remains my paramount concern," he said.

I am with my husband and two young children stranded in Oslo and tearing my hair out trying to get home

Christine Macandie

Volcano ash: Your stories

Weather experts say wind patterns mean the cloud is not likely to move far until later in the week.

Brian Flynn, head of operations at Eurocontrol - which co-ordinates air traffic control in 38 nations - said aviation authorities were dealing with an "unknown phenomenon", but dismissed suggestions they were being over-cautious.

"With the over-riding objective of protecting the travelling public, these exceptional measures have to be taken," he said.

Meanwhile travel disruption worsened on Sunday. Eurocontrol said only 4,000 flights were expected in European airspace, against 24,000 normally.

On Saturday there were 5,000 flights. All but 55 of 337 scheduled flights by US carriers to and from Europe were also cancelled.

Polish funeral

Since Thursday, countries across northern and central Europe have either closed airspace or shut key airports.

Ash plume from the Eyjafjallajoekull volcano 17 April 2010

Iceland volcano in maps

How long will ash last?

Peston: Airlines to ask for help

Britain has extended a ban on most flights in its airspace until at least 0700 local time on Monday (0600 GMT).

Ireland is closing its airspace until 1200 GMT on Monday. Most French airports are to stay closed until Tuesday, the government has said.

However airports in northern Spain - including Barcelona - reopened on Sunday.

Ukraine opened Kiev airport, which had been closed since Saturday, enabling President Viktor Yanukovich to attend the funeral of Polish President Lech Kaczynski.

Many world leaders, including US President Barack Obama, were unable to attend the funeral of Mr Kaczynski, who was killed in a plane crash last week, because of the travel restrictions.

Commuters across northern Europe have sought other means of transport, packing out trains, buses and ferries.

Southern Iceland's Eyjafjallajoekull volcano began erupting for the second time in a month on Wednesday, sending a plume of ash 8.5km (5.3 miles) high into the air.

Have you been affected by the volcanic eruption in Iceland or by disruptions to air traffic caused by volcanic ash? Send us your experiences using the form below.

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Published: April 18, 2010

Published: April 18, 2010

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