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| -Signs, Portents, and the Weather- |
| EU to resume limited air traffic Tuesday |
| 2010-04-19 |
| BRUSSELS – European officials carved up the sky Monday, creating three zones to more quickly break the flight deadlock caused by volcanic ash flowing from Iceland over Europe. Many more flights will be able to take off on Tuesday, the bloc said. European countries can resume airline traffic in designated "caution zones" where the threat of ash is considered less dangerous, French officials said after a meeting of the bloc's 27 transport ministers. Under the accord, one area — defined by the European air traffic control agency Eurocontrol — will remain entirely off limits to flights. Another area will be open to all flights and a third area will be a caution zone in which some flights will be allowed. Jean-Louis Borloo, the No. 2 French Cabinet official, said flights in the caution zone will be "very secure" with many tests to make sure jet engines are not damaged by ash. EU Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas said after a videoconference with EU transport ministers and industry officials that "the decision increases air space available to air traffic. This is the final outcome." The EU said as of Tuesday morning "we should see more planes starting to fly." But all are not happy... Several airlines have run flights over the last few days, and none reported problems or damage, prompting some airline officials to question whether governments had overreacted to concerns that the microscopic particles of ash could shut down jet engines. "It's embarrassing, and a European mess," said Giovanni Bisignani, chief executive of the International Air Transport Association. "It took five days to organize a conference call with the ministers of transport and we are losing $200 million per day (and) 750,000 passengers are stranded all over. Does it make sense?" IATA, the world's leading airline industry group, expressed its "dissatisfaction with how governments have managed it, with no risk assessment, no consultation, no coordination, and no leadership." Sounds like the EU to me... |
| Posted by:tu3031 |
| #2 Because this kind of volcanic eruption has never occured previously in the age of air travel, it will probably take planes falling out of the sky before we know the real risk. |
| Posted by: phil_b 2010-04-19 20:19 |
| #1 Just think of the economic stimulus that repairing all the engines might provide |
| Posted by: abu do you love 2010-04-19 18:02 |