DISRUPTION TO air traffic caused by ash from an Icelandic volcano is expected to continue into next week.
Ryanair has cancelled all its flights in northern Europe until lunchtime on Monday because of safety concerns, while Aer Lingus has cancelled most flights up to 1pm today.
Airports in the south of the State were closed last night as the ash cloud moved back towards the area
The Government Taskforce on Emergency Planning warned yesterday that the volcanic ash could fall on Ireland on Monday or Tuesday.
It said expected rain was likely to “wash” the ash out of the atmosphere and leave a dust-like coating on the ground.
Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey said officials were not anticipating any health dangers, but said he did not have any advice from the HSE if it rained and the ash was washed to the surface.
“It’s not going to be covered in this stuff,” Mr Dempsey said. “There is no indication at the moment. If the wind changes, if the weather conditions change, then that might actually change. But at the moment we shouldn’t be trying to create a scenario where people are going to be terrified.”
The World Health Organisation said yesterday that particulate matter in the ash did not pose a health hazard so long as it remained in the upper atmosphere.
When ash entered the lower atmosphere in high concentrations, people with chronic respiratory conditions such as asthma, emphysema or bronchitis could suffer irritation, the WHO said.
It advised people to go indoors if they noticed irritation in their throat and lungs, a runny nose or itchy eyes.
The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) last night said that Cork, Kerry, and Waterford airports would be shut between 9pm last night and 11am today. Shannon airport was closed at 4am, and was not expected to reopen until 10am.
The authority made the decision after reports from the Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre in London indicating the ash cloud to the south of Ireland had moved back towards the south coast.
IAA director of technology Philip Hughes said: “The indications are that the ash cloud will present a serious risk to flights in and out of Cork, Waterford and Kerry airports, and Shannon airport to a lesser degree.”
Irish airspace had been reopened yesterday, with the exception of a small area off the south, allowing the resumption of flights within Ireland, to Scotland and across the Atlantic.
However, because the plume of ash still covers much of the rest of northern Europe, airspace over the UK and much of continental Europe remains closed and flights are grounded.
The IAA said restrictions were likely to remain in place over the rest of northern Europe at least until this evening, and this would mean continuing serious disruption for east- and south-bound traffic out of Irish airports.
Ryanair said it took the decision to ground planes for over three days to allow passengers to seek a refund or rebook on to flights operating next week when it hopes weather conditions will have improved.
Aer Lingus has cancelled all UK and European flights scheduled to depart from Dublin, Cork, Shannon, Belfast, Heathrow and Gatwick up to 1pm today.
However, there will be relief for transatlantic passengers, with all flights from Ireland to the US expected to operate as scheduled.
With 8,000 flights grounded in Europe on Thursday and 17,000 yesterday, airlines were counting the cost of the disruption. The International Air Transport Association said airlines had lost about €150 million.
- Updates on this story on irishtimes.com
