A “new ash cloud” was spreading towards the UK on Monday night, leaving air passengers facing the possibility of further delays.
Air traffic control company Nats said the “situation was worsening” in some areas.
But it said Scottish airports should be available from 7am on Tuesday and other airspace over England from 1pm, although not including the main London airports.
Nats said in a statement on Monday night: “The volcano eruption in Iceland has strengthened and a new ash cloud is spreading south and east towards the UK.
“This demonstrates the dynamic and rapidly changing conditions in which we are working.
“Latest information from the Met Office shows that the situation is worsening in some areas.
“Based on this information, the situation for Northern Irish airports for the morning is uncertain, due to the new ash cloud.
“The latest information shows that Scottish airports should be available from 7am and more airspace over England may become available from 1pm, although not as far south as the main London airports.”
Nats said it would provide further updates at around 3am and 7am on Tuesday.
Earlier, Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced plans to use Royal Navy vessels to bring home some of the estimated 150,000 Britons stranded abroad.
Ministers met following a clamour from airlines to restore flights, with carriers including British Airways pointing to the success of test flights to press home their arguments.
While travel organisations warned that it would be some time before travel and airports were back to normal, airlines were counting the cost of the disruption, which has seen a shutdown of UK airports since the end of last week.
BA said the flight ban had cost it around £15 million to £20 million a day.
Willie Walsh, BA chief executive, questioned the necessity of the hitherto “blanket ban” on flights, and also said that European carriers had asked the EU and national governments for financial compensation.
The British Air Transport Association, with signatories and support from all major UK airlines, wrote to Transport Secretary Lord Adonis asking the Government “to commit to standing behind the industry financially at this very difficult time”.
The International Air Transport Association was highly critical of the European response to the ash crisis which, it estimated, is costing the aviation industry around 200 million dollars (£130 million) a day.
Earlier, British Airways announced it would aim to resume some flights from London’s airports from 7pm tomorrow.
But in light of tonight’s update from Nats, a BA spokesman said it was “reviewing” its schedule.
Manchester Airport tonight said it was sticking with plans to open at 9am tomorrow.
But a spokeswoman said it would monitor further updates from Nats.
(Source: Telegraph UK)
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9 Responses
It is human nature to take things for granted. We just assume that what is around today and what has been around in our recent past will always be there.
There are many Jews in the world that plan “some day” to come home to Israel. They expect that when they are finally ready the world will be obliging and not interfere. As we can see, we have been given a clear example of how unobliging the world can be.
There is a tradition that at some point in time Israel will be closed off. Just as we were surrounded in the desert on all sides by the clouds of glory, so in the future a similar event will occur. It is not clear if this will happen before Moshiach comes or after. What is known is that for forty years no one will be able to leave or enter Israel. During that time there will be terrible event outside of Israel and a very large number of people will die. This will be the first judgement of the Nations. Those Jews who are living amongst them will be judged as they are. This will be due to the fact that they were voluntarily living with them and did not come to Israel when they had the opportunity to return.
From the MABUL, we know that G-D sends warnings prior to His final judgement. Prior to the MABUL there were many small disasters that were clearly unnatural. The people at the time chose to ignore these warning and continued in their stubborn evil. They formed all sorts of explanations as to why all that was happening were only “natural” events. It was just the normal cycle of “nature” and there was no need to look further.
My dear friend please, please look further.
Aryeh Zelasko
Aryeh Zelasko: whats your point?
To Arye Z. I read your comment with interest but I’m not sure if you’re refering to the times of old wen the Yidden left Egypt and passed through the midbar for 40 yrs surrounded by clouds or will this re occur wen Moshiach comes. I would greatly appreciate if someone out there can shed light to comment number one with proper references. Thank you for you time.
I just heard from somebody that there are hundreds of bochurim stuck in England on their way back to yeshiva. What a kiddush Hashem- all the frum jews in England are busy taking in all the bochurim and providing them with food, shelter,etc.
Aryeh Z, I don’t know what the source of your missive is, but even if it as you describe, your implication seems to be that Jews should move to Israel before such an event occurs.
In brief, a person is obligated to serve G-d as best as he, individually, can, and if that best is possible only outside of Israel then I assume nothing should cause him to sacrifice that spirituality for the sake of moving to Eretz Yisrael.
Reb Aryeh Z. I would appreciate if you could find the mekor to your statements. I would like to look it up. Thanks.
anyone for bringing back Ocean liners?????
[might be better from a Yiddishkeit perspective – airplanes are getting awfully problematic]
Good things will come of this, maybe a few shidduchim too.
It is said that that kriyas yam suf can be explained scientifically. The fact that it happened only once and at precisely the right time is the miracle. I believe that is what #1 is trying to impress upon us. Also remember that when the gezeirah comes Ain Mavchin bain tov l’rah.