Iceland volcano is more active

Volcanoes in Iceland are erupting stronger, just as Europe began loosening its flight ban after nearly a week of airspace closure.

Picture 1 of Iceland volcano is more active

Two girls among passengers were stuck at Incheon International Airport in South Korea on April 20.Photo: AP.


The UK air traffic control agency announced on April 20 that a new ash cloud is moving to the country. 'The latest information shows that the situation is getting worse in some areas,' the British National Aviation Authority announced.

According to CNN, lava flows over the ridge yesterday, but not to the ground and the dust cloud is quite large.

Eurocontrol, the European Union's air traffic control agency, said 8,700 flights were made on European airspace yesterday. Under normal conditions there will be about 28,000 trips.

European Union officials have announced that countries will establish no-fly zones based on the forecast of the Volcanic Dust Advisory Center. The aircraft will only be allowed to fly outside the no-fly zone.

Finnish officials announced that some of their F-18 fighters had been training on April 15 in the north of the country. When the aircraft landed, it was discovered that the molten dust was caused by high temperatures in the combustion chamber of the aircraft engine. Melting dust can block engine airflow, causing the engine to become too hot and broken.

Diego Lopez Garrido, Spanish official in charge of EU affairs, said test flights showed that volcanic dust in Iceland had no impact on European airspace flights.

On April 18, British Airways also conducted flight tests. Their aircraft is not damaged no matter how it flies at different heights.

'Our analytical results, along with the flight testing of many other airlines, show that the flight ban is really unnecessary , ' said Willie Walsh, executive director of British Airways.

The US Federal Aviation Administration voiced support for EU resumption of flights in some parts of Europe.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso ordered the establishment of a team to investigate the impact of volcanic dust on the European economy and the aviation industry.

Olivier Jankovec, CEO of Airports Council International, announced that airports worldwide lost $ 183 million since the ban was issued and more than 6.8 million passengers were stranded at airports.

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An airplane leaves Glasgow International Airport in Scotland on April 20.Photo: AP.

Giovanni Bisignani, general director of the International Air Transport Association, announced the ban on flying made airlines lose at least $ 200 million a day. He said that if the ban continues to be maintained, some small and medium airlines may be at risk. The International Air Transport Association criticized European governments for not playing a leading role in the effort to handle the flight ban.