Europe's skies open for business

2010-04-21 12:35:21

Europe is starting to reopen its skies almost a week after the eruption of an Icelandic volcano grounded most planes.

About 75% of European flights are due to operate on Wednesday, according to the air traffic agency Eurocontrol.

But severe delays are still expected, as airlines try to cope with the backlog caused by the volcanic ash.

At least 95,000 flights were cancelled in the past six days, and air transport group IATA says the disruptions have cost the industry $1.7bn ( 1.1bn).

Scientists say the ash plume around the Eyjafjallajokull volcano is now shrinking, although the situation remains changeable.

Iceland's civil protection agency said the volcano had lost nearly 80% of its intensity since the weekend.

Cheers

Airlines have now begun the enormous task of working through the backlog to get stranded passengers where they want to go.

The Eurocontrol air traffic agency said it was optimistic the situation would be back to normal in a few days' time.

Travel analysts said passengers with current tickets would be given priority, and those who were affected by cancellations would be put on waiting lists.

Weary passengers cheered and clapped as flights began to take off from airports.

Eve Dickinson, who was among the first to arrive back in Britain, said: "We're absolutely delighted to be home."

Britain reopened its airspace from 2200 local time (2100 GMT) on Tuesday, allowing long-haul flights to land at Heathrow airport, Europe's busiest. A flight from Vancouver, Canada, was the first to arrive.

British Airways said it would operate all long-haul flights departing from Heathrow and Gatwick airports on Wednesday, but warned that there would be short-haul cancellations to and from London airports until 1300 local time (1200 GMT).

There was more good news for passengers as Air France said it would resume all long-haul flights from Wednesday, although it added that services in parts of northern Europe would stay suspended.

In Germany, Frankfurt airport listed a handful of early-morning flights arriving and departing on Wednesday but large numbers were listed as cancelled.

Around the world, airlines began putting on extra flights to clear the backlog of stranded travellers.

Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Virgin flights have begun taking off from Australia and New Zealand, while Air China and Japan Airlines announced that all their Europe flights would also be departing.

Business nightmare

Meanwhile, nearly 300 British holidaymakers marooned in Santander, northern Spain, have been picked up by a Royal Navy warship.

The first five of a fleet of coaches promised by the UK government to help long queues of its nationals home were leaving Madrid on Tuesday evening.

European Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas denied the EU had taken too long to respond to calls for airspace to be reopened, saying people's lives were at stake.

The UN's International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), meanwhile, said it would lead moves to develop a global standard for the concentration of ash in the air beyond which it was dangerous to fly.

But final decisions about safety would remain up to governments, ICAO Council president Roberto Kobeh Gonzalez said.

The flight ban was imposed because in the high temperatures of an engine turbine, ash can turn to molten glass and cripple the engine.

As waylaid travellers scrambled for other modes of transport, ferry and railway companies enjoyed an unexpected bonanza, while some car-hire firms were reportedly increasing charges.

But many other businesses have been hit hard by the chaos.

The airline industry says it has been losing more than $200m ( 130m; 150m euros) a day since the turmoil began last week.

The carmaker BMW said it was suspending production at three of its plants in Germany, because of interruptions in the supply of parts. In Japan, Nissan also suspended production lines, while Honda announced a partial halt to production.

Blocked shipments of goods are reportedly stacking up in China, while South Korea is stuck with hundreds of thousands of mobile phones.

And there are heaps of clothing bound for Europe piling up in Bangladesh.

Meanwhile exporters of fresh flowers and vegetables in Zambia, Kenya and Uganda are having to throw away tonnes of rotting stock.

For all the chaos that Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano has already created, scientists say the ash cloud might only be the start. There are concerns the eruption could set off the nearby, larger Katla volcano, which sits on the Myrdalsjokull glacier, but officials said no activity had been detected. Its last major eruption was in 1918.

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Story from BBC NEWS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/europe/8633451.stm

Published: 2010/04/21 09:28:47 GMT