Heathrow and Gatwick airports closed due to ash

[dirtydog]

Ash cloud forces Heathrow and Gatwick airports to close

Tens of thousands of travellers are facing flight delays and cancellations

Britain's two busiest airports have closed as a volcanic ash cloud drifts further south, threatening major disruption to many thousands of people.

A no-fly zone imposed by the Civil Aviation Authority will see Heathrow, Gatwick and London City airports shut down until 0700 BST.

Flights are also grounded in parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds Bradford airports have re-opened after restrictions in the north were lifted.

The closure of Heathrow and Gatwick airports at the beginning of the working week is expected to hit business travellers and holidaymakers hardest.

However, Eurocontrol, the European air traffic control, said some flights might be resumed at both airports after 0700 BST.
MAIN AIRPORT CLOSURES
Heathrow: Until 0700 BST
Gatwick: Until 0700 BST
London City: Until 0700 BST
Aberdeen: Until 0700 BST

Source: Nats
Travellers are being advised to check with their airline before leaving home.

Elsewhere, Birmingham, Norwich and East Midlands airports are open again, after suspending flights on Sunday.

Prestwick Airport is no longer in the no-fly zone, but a spokeswoman said it would not be receiving any flights until lunchtime.

According to air traffic authority Nats, other airports closed through the night include Farnborough, Shoreham, Biggin Hill, all airfields in Northern Ireland, Scottish Western Isles, Oban, Campbeltown, Caernarfon and Aberdeen.

It said Cardiff would remain open but operations may be limited due to its proximity to the no-fly zone.

Flights in and out of Dublin, in the Irish Republic, are also grounded until at least noon.

There are signs that the ash cloud is passing over the UK, as Dutch TV reported airports in Amsterdam and Rotterdam are to close for at least eight hours from 0500 BST (0600 local time).

The Department of Transport has warned restrictions are likely across different parts of the UK until at least Tuesday.
All the test flights have shown no evidence that airlines could not continue to fly completely safety


Sir Richard Branson, Virgin Atlantic

The latest dense patch of ash has already disrupted the travel plans of tens of thousands of people, mainly in northern parts of the UK.

Airspace over Northern Ireland was first to close on Saturday, then as the cloud moved south, Manchester closed at lunchtime on Sunday, with Birmingham following suit by teatime.

Virgin Atlantic president Sir Richard Branson called the closure of Manchester airport "beyond a joke".

"All the test flights by airlines, aircraft and engine manufacturers have shown no evidence that airlines could not continue to fly completely safety," he said.

British Airways said airlines should be able to decide whether it was safe to fly, as the current approach was "overly restrictive".

But the CAA chief executive Andrew Haines said: "We are all working flat out to keep flying safe whilst minimising disruption from the volcano."

Ash from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano has led to thousands of flights being delayed or cancelled since April.

BBC News - Ash cloud forces Heathrow and Gatwick airports to close

[Mr R Sole]

So that's why tourism has slumped here in the L.O.S... Nothing to do with the police action in the capital....Bloody farang volcano's wrecking Thai tourism...

[jandajoy]

LHR to open in 30 minutes, but limited to 30 arrivals per hour.

GTW at around 14.00 GMT.

According to the news on BBC Radio 4.

[Smug Farang Bore]

and there was me sayin good bye to 2009 being a shit year.

This one is tuning in to a real fucking class act for anyone trying to do business here.

Bollox..!