AIR PASSENGERS have been told to expect further travel disruption in the coming days as volcanic activity in Iceland continues.
A rise in earthquake activity beneath the Eyjafjallajökull volcano is resulting in a significant amount of ash being ejected, the Icelandic Meteorological Office said.
Brussels-based air traffic agency Eurocontrol, which determines the routes that airlines use, said the potential higher ash contamination is forecast to extend from Iceland as far south as the western edge of the Iberian Peninsula.
The ash cloud, which had previously remained below 20,000ft feet, was gradually climbing to 35,000ft, at which height it could pose a navigational obstacle for transatlantic flights.
Aer Lingus announced last night that Flight EI133 from Dublin and Shannon to Boston today is cancelled. Passengers intending to travel from Shannon to Boston would be transported by coach to Dublin and flown onwards to Boston on flight EI137 in the afternoon, Aer Lingus said.
Flight EI136 Boston-Dublin today is also cancelled. Passengers are being accommodated on flight EI132 Boston-Dublin which is scheduled to depart at 7.15 pm.
Met Éireann said the fact that significant quantities of ash had been thrown very high into the atmosphere “will pose a difficulty for transatlantic flights, which will have to be routed either above or around this high-level ash plume”.
A number of flights were grounded yesterday morning after the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA)imposed restrictions on Shannon, Sligo, Ireland West (Knock), Galway, Donegal and Kerry airports. Services resumed at Kerry, Galway, Knock, Shannon and Sligo airports at 10am, while flights from Donegal resumed at 8.30am.
Ryanair cancelled 18 flights to and from Irish airports, while Aer Arann was forced to cancel 10 flights.
The IAA said last night that Irish airports were expected to operate normally until at least 1pm today. It said it would issue a further statement on operations this morning.
The Government Taskforce on Emergency Planning said yesterday the potential for disruption of air services could remain into next week. It added that health and environmental monitoring programmes of the Environmental Protection Agency and Health Service Executive were ongoing and no health or environmental effects have been detected.
Passengers planning to travel by air over the coming days are advised to check regularly with their airlines and the IAA website – www.iaa.ie.