Global General

Britain says ash will not lead to airspace shutdown

(Agencies)
Updated: 2011-05-24 16:04

LONDON - The British government said on Tuesday that ash from an Icelandic volcano would not lead to the total shutdown of airspace despite the cancellation of dozens of flights to and from Scotland.

Related readings:  Iceland says hopes to reopen main airport Monday  Scientists: Iceland's Grimsvotn volcano erupting

"There won't be any shutdowns," Transport Secretary Philip Hammond told BBC radio. "We've moved on to a different way of working, we won't be closing airspace."

Last year, an ash plume from another Icelandic volcano caused six days of disruption, leading to 100,000 flights being cancelled, stranding 10 million passengers and costing the industry an estimated $1.7 billion in lost revenue.

Some services have already been cancelled to and from Scotland and northern England but Hammond said they did not expect widespread disruption on the same scale as last year.

"Even though there will be ash present over last parts of the UK for parts of this week that will not stop flying activity."