Europe Travel Woes Continue

Iceland's Ash Cloud  (Credit AP)

Europe Airspace Still Empty

Based on the latest information from the Met Office, NATS advises that the restrictions currently in place across UK controlled airspace will remain in place until at least 0700 (local time) tomorrow, Monday 19 April.  Consult the links below for ongoing updates as this situation is dynamic (based on weather conditions and continued eruptions).

The sky might be blue in the photo above, provided by AP, but the skies over Europe are anything but friendly as Day 3 of the Eyjafjallajökull Volcano eruption continues to ground flights across the globe.  Flights to and from Europe remain restricted until 0700 BST on Sunday.  

Some flights may be able to take off from Scotland and Northern Ireland before 1900 BST on Saturday, but most planes will remain grounded.   British Airways has cancelled all short haul flights on Sunday and is still evaluating long haul services.Flights from other countries, including the United States, have been cancelled during the restricted time period.

Related Post (airport links, details about volcanic ash):  Erupting Volcano Grounds Flights


Latest Updates:    Track Flights Live Over Europe
EUROCONTROL Air Traffic Control        National Air Traffic Control Service (Nats)
Also consult individual airports and airline carrier's websites.    

Nine Volcanic Ash Advisory Centres (VAAC) around the world are responsible for advising international aviation of the location and movement of clouds of volcanic ash.

Current Volcanic Ash Advisories (VAA) from London and Toulouse 
London VAA: Issued advisories | Issued graphics     Toulouse VAA: Issued advisories

The National Air Traffic Control Service (Nats) said Met Office forecasts showed the ash cloud progressively covering the whole of the UK after 1900 BST. A further update is expected at about 2100 BST.

Scientists continue to monitor seismic activity in the region.  See time and magnitude of earthquakes near Mýrdalsjökull (which is the larger ice-cap east of active Eyjafjallajökull) on another map. Note the graph under that map which shows the onset clearly.  Historically, when Eyjafjallajökull is active, so is Mýrdalsjökull.

Icelandic volcano pictures, blogs, and other links

• Picture gallery including the latest satellite imagery
• Volcanic Ash Slideshow
• Map of dust observations
• Forecasters’ blog
• Live: Volcanic cloud over Europe (BBC)
• British Geological Survey (BGS)
• Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland
• YouTube - Eyjafjallajökull - You're doing it wrong! 
• Spotlight on Eyjafjallajökull – Southern Iceland (Global Volcanism Program) ‎

Cruise Line Announcements

• AMAWATERWAYS: Call cruise line for flight or cruise information 
• Avalon Waterways: Europe Airport Closures
• Celebrity Cruises: UK Airport Disruption
• Crystal Cruises: has rebooked flights for affected passengers 
• Cunard : Volcanic Eruption Update
• Disney Cruise Line: ships are mid-cruise so no immediate concerns
• Holland America is working directly with affected passengers
• Norwegian Cruise Line:  UK airport disruption due to Icelandic volcanic eruption
• Oceania Cruises: contact cruise line directly
• Princess Cruises: Update on Flight Cancellations Due to Volcanic Eruption 
• Regent Seven Seas: is unaffected at this time
• Royal Caribbean Important Updates 
• Uniworld: Important Notice about European Airport Closures
• Viking River Cruise:  contact cruise line for assistance

Cruise lines with passengers affected by the flight delays are monitoring the situation.  In some cases, such as Royal Caribbean, rebooking fees are being waived.  In other cases, departure times may be adjusted to allow air-sea passengers to arrive before departure.  Continue to monitor links provided here for updates on conditions and any itinerary changes.

Your travel agent or cruise line may need to contact you directly, so be sure they have your contact information.  Contact your travel insurance provider for assistance.