Flights have begun arriving at British airports following the blanket ban which saw British airspace closed for six days

People who have booked flights to India later this week will no doubt be relieved to hear that British airspace has reopened.

An ash cloud caused by a volcanic eruption in Iceland led to the widespread closure of airspace in northern Europe over safety concerns.

However, following six days with almost no flights entering or leaving the UK, the first planes have begun to touch down in many of Britain’s airports.

More than 95,000 flights were cancelled following the decision to close many European airports on April 14th.

Airlines have warned that it could take weeks before normal service resumes, with aircraft and crew stranded in the wrong places, presenting a “huge logistical operation”, Frances Tuke of ABTA – The Travel Association, told the BBC.

Following the unprecedented shutdown of UK airports, the Civil Aviation Authority has set out guidelines relating to levels of ash in the atmosphere and the risk this poses to aircraft.

Many of the stranded passengers are glad to be able to make their way home, with one Canadian man telling the Daily Telegraph that picking up his boarding pass “felt like winning a golden ticket for Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory”.

Written by Erin Marshall

Southall Travel
CustomerSupport

Call Southall Travel for the best deals

Phone 0208 843 4444

WHY OUR CUSTOMERS LOVE US?

Offering dependable travel solutions from the UK to the world over since 1984, we've gained the trust of a loyal customer base. Our customers know they can rely on us to offer the best prices and to provide impartial, expert advice on finding travel solutions to match their interests, time and budget.

  • Exclusive Deals for Hundreds of Destinations
    Exclusive Deals for Hundreds of Destinations
  • 24/7 Expert Assistance
    24/7 Expert
    Assistance
  • Price Match Guarantee*
    Price Match Guarantee*
  • No Fee
    No Fee on Credit & Debit Card
  • ATOL Protected
    ATOL
    Protected
  • Flexible Payment Options
    Flexible Payment Options & Low Deposits
Average Customer Rating star ratingstar ratingstar ratingstar ratingstar rating 4.7/5 feefologo
Independent Service Rating based on 6,734 verified reviews. Read all reviews
Golden Trust Awards
star ratingstar ratingstar ratingstar rating

Staff was able to solve my travel task quickly with high level knowledge.

Trusted Customer - Dec 24, 2024
star ratingstar ratingstar ratingstar ratingstar rating

They got me flights that worked for me

Trusted Customer - Dec 24, 2024
star ratingstar ratingstar ratingstar ratingstar rating

Nice staff and trying to satisfy the customers to give multiple options so good work

Trusted Customer - Dec 24, 2024
star ratingstar ratingstar ratingstar ratingstar rating

Am a returning customer. I have always trusted Southhall travel. Great services...

Mr Francisco Macharia Mbugua - Dec 24, 2024

Booking is safe with us! Your holiday is ATOL protected.

  • Certification logo
  • IATA logo
  • Protection Logo

Visit www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice for latest destination travel advice from the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) including Covid19 travel advice, security and local laws, and passport and visa information.

Many of the flights and flight-inclusive holidays on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. But ATOL protection does not apply to all holiday and travel services listed on this website. Please ask us to confirm what protection may apply to your booking. If you do not receive an ATOL Certificate then the booking will not be ATOL protected. If you do receive an ATOL Certificate but all the parts of your trip are not listed on it, those parts will not be ATOL protected. If you have booked a flight only where the ticket is not issued immediately, your flight will be protected under our ATOL. Please see our booking conditions for information, or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to www.atol.org.uk/ATOLCertificate

©2025 Southall Travel - All rights reserved

Cross Would you like a free callback in 5 Seconds.
Cross
Need help finding the best airfare or holiday deals?

London Heathrow to Dubai Intl

Economy

from £384*

0208 843 4444

24 hours a day / 7 days a week

"This would take a few moments. Please wait!"

newsletter Subscribe

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Be one of the first to hear about our exclusive offers on flights & holidays, travel inspiration and the latest travel news.

Welcome to Southall Travel

We use cookies to improve your experience on Southall Travel and show personalized content, depending on your settings. See our Privacy Policy for more information.

X Choose your cookie preferences
  • Essential

    Our website can't operate properly without essential cookies. We only collect the minimum personal information needed to provide services on awayholidays.co.uk. You can disable these cookies in your browser but parts of southalltravel.co.uk may not work.

  • Analytics

    We use analytical cookies to measure how you use our website and help improve southalltravel.co.uk.

  • Marketing

    We use marketing cookies to display personalised advertisements on other sites you may visit. We work with approved partners to deliver relevant content and measure the effectiveness of these advertisements.

  • Functional

    These cookies let us save the choices you make and some of the information you provide when browsing southalltravel.co.uk. They don't track your browsing activity on other websites. Without functional cookies, southalltravel.co.uk may not work reliably.