Dublin, May 04: Ireland’s Aviation Authority said it was banning all flights in and out of Ireland this morning because of a renewed risk of volcanic ash drifting south from Iceland.
All flights to and from Irish airports will be prohibited from 7 am to 1 pm local time today, the authority said in a statement. The restrictions will not affect planes flying over Ireland from Britain and Europe.
“The decision is based on the safety risks to crews and passengers as a result of the drift south of the volcanic ash cloud caused by the northeasterly winds,” the statement said.
Ireland is expected to experience ash concentrations that exceed acceptable engine manufacturer tolerance levels, the authority said.
The budget airline Ryanair said it had cancelled all of its flights scheduled to operate to and from Ireland, including Belfast and Londonderry, both in Northern Ireland, between 6 am and 2 pm local time had been cancelled.
The airline warned of further disruptions, as well, including in Scotland.
Iceland’s Meteorological Office said the restrictions were caused by a change in wind direction in the past few days, not an increased amount of ash spewing from southern Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull volcano.
–PTI