Ash cloud again affecting flights

Thousands of passengers have been hit by flight cancellations in Iceland, Scotland and northern England because of drifting ash from an Icelandic volcanic eruption.

British Airways, KLM and easyJet were among the major airlines to suspend services in and out of Scotland and some cities in northern England, according to the BBC, with the ash cloud forecast to spread to the rest of Britain before clearing May 25-26.

U.S. President Barack Obama was forced to move forward a flight from Ireland to the United Kingdom May 23, while 400 people spent the night at Edinburgh Airport. Iceland was forced to close its airspace after the Grimsvötn volcano began erupting May 21.

Experts say this eruption is not on the scale of last year's, which caused widespread air travel chaos around Europe, because its larger ash particles fall to the ground more quickly. Western France and Spain were also thought to be facing some flight suspensions, but most of Central Europe is expected to avoid flight disruption.

Prague Ruzyně Airport spokeswoman Michaela Lagronová meanwhile confirmed to The Prague Post there was no disruption to flights in or out of Prague.

Bill Lehane can be reached at
blehane@praguepost.com