Airlines, airports expect bumpy ride when ash cloud allows flights to resume Friday evening 16 April
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – The ash cloud from Iceland’s volcano is causing severe disruption to airlines throughout Europe, with the UK closed to air traffic until 18:00 Friday evening, airports in northern France including Paris closed, as well as many northern European airports. Hamburg, Bonn and Frankfurt airports are closed in Germany. Geneva and Zurich airports’ web sites were overwhelmed Friday morning, with travelers trying to check on scores of canceled flights.
Here’s the message from Cointrin International Airport in Geneva, with a noon update scheduled:
“The Airport informs passengers that due to weather conditions airlines have cancelled some flights to and from the United Kingdom, Danemark, Benelux and the North of Europe as well as some areas from France and Germany. Passengers should contact their airline and check flight status information for all destinations to North of Switzerland.”
Eurocontrol, the air traffic controllers’ organization, issued this statement Thursday 15 April: “At present most air traffic in the north of the United Kingdom, Ireland, Denmark, Norway and Sweden is suspended. These restrictions will be extended to cover the southern United Kingdom area in the coming hours. The main north Atlantic east bound flow arrived at European airports with little disruption. Routes to handle the afternoon westbound flow have been moved to the south to avoid the volcanic ash zone. However, it is expected that this flow of traffic will be disrupted.”
Flights flying into “contaminated” space are being diverted, adding to the air travel chaos in Europe.
Airlines throughout Europe are saying that disruptions will continue once flights can start again, with airplanes in the wrong places and many travellers stranded.
The cloud of ash moving across Europe from Iceland is moving slowly and remains dense, with little wind to break it up.
Links to other sites: BBC, Eurocontrol (Netowrk headline news carries technical updates on affected airspace), Geneva airport, Zurich airport