Flight situation in Europe improving, but chaotic

Heathrow airport April 17 (AP Photo/PA, Steve Parsons)

By DAVID S. WHITE
Examiner.com

18:00 EDT April 19, 2010

Some European airspace is reopening as flight restrictions are loosened by air traffic control authorities.  Northern parts of the United Kingdom may open first, but the prospect of London airports reopening is still in doubt due to late reports of intensified volcanic eruptions. British Airways plans to resume London flights at 19:00 local time on April 20 if conditions allow. Irish airspace is opening in phases on April 20.

On the continent, a mixed bag of openings: Belgium, Denmark and Italy plan to reopen airspace on the morning of April 20; Austria, Estonia, Hungary and Turkey airports are currently open; some flights are operating in the Netherlands; France has opened corridors from Paris to its southern airports and will eventually open other airports; Spanish airports remain open and some flights are being diverted to Spain from other European countries; some low level flights are being allowed in Germany.

In short: confusion reigns. Passengers are being advised to check airline websites before traveling to airports for flights.

• BAA–operator of Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Edinburgh, Glasgow airports
• Paris airports authority
• Eurocontrol–European air traffic control organization
• Lufthansa updates
• British Airways updates
• Air France updates
• Eurostar rail service
• P&O Ferries