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
