11/05/2010

Ash May Close Airports By 1AM

The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) has said it only expects to keep Ireland's airports open until about 1am tomorrow morning.

A spokesman from the Authority said that the large volcanic ash cloud, which currently measures approximately 2,400 miles long and 1,300 miles wide, is still positioned over the Atlantic from Greenland to the Iberian peninsula.

"For the past number of days, North Atlantic routes have been North of Iceland and as far South as Santiago in Spain.

"The IAA expects an improvement today with routes available just North of Ireland. Continuing difficulties may be encountered with Iberian / Canary routes," the spokesman said.

He added: "The Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre and the Central Flow Management Unit at Eurocontrol continue to furnish the Irish Aviation Authority with up-to-date information on the ash cloud. This enables the Authority to assess the impact it could have on air safety."

The authority is expected to provide further updates throughout the day.

The IAA added that passengers planning to travel by air over the coming days are advised to regularly check their airline websites and the IAA website in advance of going to the airport.

(DW/GK)

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