Nordic & British Airspace Shut Down Due To Volcanic Ash Clouds

A volcanic eruption in Iceland prompted authorities in northern Europe to close their airspace Thursday. The ash clouds will put a damper on travel plans for tens of thousands of people.

The closure of Nordic and British airspace is affecting Europe’s busiest air hub, Heathrow airport, which handles approximately 1,200 flights per day. London’s Gatwick and Stansted airports are also affected.

Air Canada is just one of the air carriers around the world forced to ground European and transatlantic flights.

Airports in Brussels, Amsterdam, Geneva and Paris have also cancelled departures.

Some flights were expected to resume around 1pm, but British airport operator, BAA, confirmed all flights out of Heathrow have been cancelled for the rest of the day.

The volcanic activity in Iceland prompted about 800 people to flee rising floodwaters. Wednesday was the second time this month the volcano in the Eyjafjallajokull glacier erupted, forcing water down the mountain resulting in a three-meter rise in river levels.

The volcano had been quiet for two centuries before the recent activity.

The ash cloud is causing a real problem in the southeastern portion of the island where visibility was reduced to 150 meters Thursday morning. Farmers were advised to keep livestock indoors to prevent animals from swallowing sharp ash particles.

If volcanic ash gets inside an aircraft engine it can melt and then solidify again, potentially causing problems in the mechanics.

In the 100 or so documented cases of aircraft flying through volcanic ash between 1983 and 2000 some engines shut down for a short time. Encounters with ash haven’t resulted in any fatal incidents.

If you’re heading to Europe, check the status of your flight here.

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