Met Office's model of expected ash drift Tuesday, by 18:00 UTC (20:00 Swiss time)
Update 00:02 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Airports in Bremen and Hamburg, Germany, will be closed early Wednesday, the government announced, as Icelandic ash arrives in northern European air space. Scotland, which was most affected by the ash clouds Tuesday, expects its airports to be back to normal operations Wednesday.
The latest update on Icelandic ash heading towards Europe will be released in London at 18:00 UK time. Ash being spewed by Iceland’s Grimsvoetn volcano is being closely monitored for Europe by the Met Office in the UK, World Meteorological Organization members were told 24 May while meeting in Geneva. The Met Office is the Volcanic Ash Advisory Center for Northwest Europe, one of nine such centres throughout the world.
“The British Geological Survey (BGS) have described the eruption of Grímsvoetn that began over the weekend as a ‘significant eruption’ and the Icelandic Met Office (IMO) have reported ash continuing to be ejected to a height of 10km,” the Met Office said Tuesday morning in a press release.
“The movement of the ash plume will depend on how long the volcano continues to erupt and how weather patterns develop,” it noted, saying that while Scotland is expected to have some ash Tuesday, “further ahead, the outlook is very changeable with areas of low pressure likely to track across parts of northern Britain during the remainder of the week. This means that wind direction is likely to be quite variable.”
The eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in April 2010 caused widespread disruption to airlines.
Kilauea, which has been spewing lava since the start of the 1980s, erupted again Sunday 6 March, sending lava more than 20 metres high after a crater collapsed. The volcano on the Big Island is one of Hawaii’s great spectacles, but tourists will now have to watch it from a safe distance, with the national park which is its home closing a campground and several roads.
AP video
Links to other sites: Los Angeles Times, Honolulu Star Advertiser
Flights rail service are disrupted in the area around Miyazaki, some 1,000km south of Tokyo, the largest town near Mount Shinmoedake, at the southern tip of Japan. The volcano began erupting 27 January and scientists say they have no idea how long it will go on or how fierce it will be, but Thursday 3 February it sent up a 1.5km-high plume of smoke. There have been no major injuries but as a precaution the area around the volcano has been cut off to prevent the curious from approaching it.
These eruptions are the largest in 50 years for the volcano, part of whose claim to fame is to have figured in the James Bond movie “You Only Live Twice”.
Meanwhile, troops are being deployed to the city of Uonuma, in Niigata Prefecture along the western seaboard of Japan, which is in danger of avalanches from the four-plus metres of snow that have recently fallen there.
Links to other sites: Japan Times, NPR
Indonesian civil protection officials are encouraging thousands of residents from the slopes of Mount Merapi in central Java to evacuate their villages, fearing an imminent eruption of Merapi, Indonesia’s most active volcano. The area has been put on top alert by the country’s Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Center whose scientists say the number of earthquakes has doubled since 21 October and plumes of ash up to 50m high are venting from the crater. Their greatest concern is the pressure building up behind a massive lava dome near the top of the crater.
Merapi last erupted in 2006 when a sheet of super-hot gases and rock raced down the mountain-side, killing two people. An estimated 14m cubic metres of material was thrown up in that eruption. In 1994, 60 people were killed in an eruption.
Links to other sites: Al-Jazeera, Jakarta Post
Scientists are considering drilling a borehole into an ancient but active volcano near the city of Naples, Italy in order to obtain advance information on potential eruptions, according to a report 20 September in Nature. Scientists want to drill into the Campi Flegrei to position sensors that could localize the magma that has been swelling the ground over the past 40 years. Campi Flegrei last erupted in 1538, and scientists fear a new eruption is possible in coming decades.
The information could help in preparing for a pyroclastic cloud, a cloud of extremely high temperatures which some believe was the real cause of the deaths at Pompei in AD79, according to EuroNews 21 September. According to this theory, a rapidly expanding cloud of extremely hot gases could threaten up to 3 million people in the Naples area.
But critics think that drilling into the vocano is too dangerous and too close to Naples. A similar project in Iceland last year found magma much closer to the surface than expected. It was suspended given the risks of an explosion or earthquakes.
BA wins injunction against cabin crew strike
Update 2 19:50 Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Geneva flights to and from Heathrow and Gatwick were cancelled early Monday, but the two airports later re-opened, as did several others in the UK and Ireland. The airspace situation throughout the British Isles has been changeable since Sunday thanks to the latest volcanic ash cloud, which has now moved towards the continent. Swiss authorities said Monday afternoon that although the cloud will reach Switzerland by Tuesday it is not dense enough to force them to close Swiss airspace.
Pilots are still obliged to visually check for ash particles and airlines must continue nightly checks for ash damage, as part of Switzerland’s standby measures.
BA cabin crew in the UK said they would be striking between 18 May and 9 June but late Monday evening a British court ruled in favour of BA and issued an injunction to stop the strike, saying the unions had not sent out letters by mail to everyone.
Background, GenevaLunch
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Flights from Switzerland to western and northern parts of the UK, as well as Dublin in Ireland, risk being delayed or canceled, with many of the airports closed due to a volcanic ash cloud. Easyjet’s 21:50 flight to Liverpool Sunday night was canceled. London’s airports remain open for the time being, but are under threat as the cloud moves south late Sunday. Dublin airport closed early in the evening and will remain shut until at least noon Monday 17 May.
Geneva Airport recommends checking directly with the airlines for latest information.
The charts issued by the UK Met office show that the cloud is predicted to move towards the continent during the morning – but not at levels that would disrupt air travel.
Links to other sites: BBC, Irish Times, Met UK
Zurich, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Swiss Tuesday shared with its customers on Facebook its disappointment in sharply lower traffic in April, due to volcano-related cancelled flights: 16.1 percent fewer passengers than in April 2009, for a total of 972,608.
Milan airports re-open, Munich closes
Ash cloud moves north of Switzerland
Source: UK Met office, Sunday 9 May
Update 5 – 9 May, 22:13 Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Airports in Europe were opening and closing like doors Sunday, as the latest volcanic ash emission from Iceland wreaked havoc Sunday. Spanish and Portuguese airspace was mostly open by Sunday evening and airports that closed briefly in Italy re-opened as the cloud moved north.
Switzerland was spared and airports remained open but by late Sunday Munich had closed as the cloud moved north to Germany. A MeteoSwiss spokesperson told AP that rain Sunday night would “wash out the cloud by Monday morning.”
Nevertheless, the Swiss Civil Aviation Office has ordered pilots to visually check for any signs of ash after each flight, and all airlines must have specialists thoroughly check aircraft at the end of each day for any signs of volcanic ash residue, as a precautionary measure. The Office notes that depending on volcanic activity in the next few days, it’s possible that airspace will need to be closed again.
Flights from Switzerland to Nice in southern France, Spain and Portugal were canceled for part of the weekend. By mid-morning Sunday Easyjet had canceled or delayed all its Geneva flights, including those between Geneva and London. The Cannes Film Festival, which opens Wednesday 12 May, but it now appears unlikely it will be affected, although national weather services remain on alert for changes.
The BBC reports that hundreds of transatlantic flights to Europe were canceled or delayed.
Airports in Ireland closed briefly Friday, met offices on alert
Iceland’s Eyjafjallajökull volcano is becoming more active again, reports the UK Met Office, and while UK airports do not appear to be at risk for now, airports in Ireland closed again Friday morning but are scheduled to reopen at 10:00. The British CAA, which provides the volcanic ash alerts, is meanwhile warning passengers to be alert about compensation scams.
Links to other sites: CAA, Irish Times, UK Met Office
Airlines cost estimate: €1.5-2.5b
The European Commission said Wednesday that April’s volcanic ash debacle, which closed airspace in much of Europe for several days, cost the tourism industry at least €1 billion, mainly to travel agents, tour operators and hotels, said the commission’s vice president, Antonio Tajani, responsible for industry and entrepreneurship. The initial estimates were accompanied by first figures for the cost to airlines, expected to be €1.5-2.5 billion.
© Chappatte, distributed by Globe Cartoon. More cartoons on Chappatte’s web site. Geneva-based Patrick Chappatte works for the International Herald Tribune, for Geneva newspaper Le Temps, and for NZZ am Sonntag. All cartoons reproduced with permission.
©2010 Chappatte, distributed by Globe Cartoon. More cartoons on Chappatte’s web site. Geneva-based Patrick Chappatte works for the International Herald Tribune, for Geneva newspaper Le Temps, and for NZZ am Sonntag. All cartoons reproduced with permission.
© Chappatte, distributed by Globe Cartoon. More cartoons on Chappatte’s web site. Geneva-based Patrick Chappatte works for the International Herald Tribune, for Geneva newspaper Le Temps, and for NZZ am Sonntag. All cartoons reproduced with permission.
No takeoff yet, flights halted in Switzerland
Swiss air space closed until at least Tuesday 20 April 08:00
Swiss skies open under 11,000 metres (36,000 feet)
Note to travelers: Check our earlier stories for useful links to airports and more, plus background
Update 11:00 Bern, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Swiss civil aviation authorities said Monday morning 19 April that Swiss air space will remain closed until at least 08:00 Tuesday, with the ash cloud from Iceland’s volcano still over Switzerland. Some countries, including Austria and the Czech Republic are starting to reopen, at least partially, their airspace Monday morning.
Planes that fly using sight rather than instruments are allowed to fly under 11,000 metres and Sunday the skies over the Alps and around cities such as Zurich were filled with pleasure craft as a result. Planes that fly by instrument are largely commercial craft.
Spain, which holds the EU presidency, called Saturday for European transport ministers to meet today, Monday – by video conference, given the impossibility of joining each other. They are reviewing the airports situation and coordinating a solution once airports throughout Europe are allowed to open. The closures have affected 6.8 million air passengers.
CNN video added
USEFUL LINKS FOR SWISS AND FRENCH TRAVELERS: Geneva Airport, Zurich Airport, Swiss airline, CFF Swiss trains, SNCF French trains, MeteoSwiss, Eurocontrol, and World Radio Geneva updates
Morning haze or a hint of volcanic ash over the Swiss Alps and Rhone valley (18 April)?
Alternative travel services: car rental addresses in Geneva, Lausanne and Zurich and long-distance bus station in Geneva
Update 17:10 Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Swiss airports are closed until at least 14:00 (2pm) Monday 19 April.
The next update from Swiss civil aviation authorities is scheduled for 09:00 Monday.
CNN video: flying close to Iceland’s erupting volcano while Europe’s airspace is shut down (may need a moment to load)
Rail, bus and car rental services are all being heavily used in Switzerland. Avis has announced that during the airport closings period it will not apply its usual fees for non-cancellation.
If you’re sneezing, don’t assume it’s volcanic dust: the pollen level in central and western Switzerland is high Sunday 18 April.
More details, including train information and the health impact of Iceland’s volcanic ash, Swiss air travel update 17 April.
A rarity: Saturday morning air traffic usually crisscrosses the skies above the Swiss Alps. Not a single streak in the sky 17 April!
Check for the latest updates on GenevaLunch
USEFUL LINKS FOR SWISS AND FRENCH TRAVELERS: Geneva Airport, Zurich Airport, Swiss airline, CFF Swiss trains, SNCF French trains, MeteoSwiss, Eurocontrol, and World Radio Geneva updates
Update 23:00, 17 April Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Swiss civil aviation authorities announced Saturday late afternoon that Swiss air space will remain closed until at least 14:00 (2pm) Sunday, and the time is likely to be extended. The airline Swiss is canceling all flights on Saturday and Sunday. Travelers should not go to the airport.
Health impact: The WHO (World Health Organization) in Geneva says that as long as there are no concentrations of ash in the lower atmosphere the fine particles pose no significant health problems. Nevertheless, “people with chronic respiratory conditions like asthma, emphysema or bronchitis may be more susceptible to irritation if ash is in the lower atmosphere in high concentrations,” according to the WHO web site.
“‘Since the ash concentration may vary from country to country depending on the wind and air temperatures, our advice is to listen to local public health officials for the best guidance for individual situations,’ says Dr Maria Neira, head of public and environmental health. ‘If people are outside and notice irritation in their throat and lungs, a runny nose or itchy eyes, they should return indoors and limit their outdoor activities.’”
MeteoSwiss has not published any alerts and recommends that people who are interested follow the UK Met office’s map of the cloud, updated every few hours. Its web page, in French, carries images of the cloud early Saturday, and its team notes that the cloud moved lower during the night, to 3,600 metres above Payerne.
All three airports in Paris will remain closed until Monday morning. The SNCF says Saturday evening that rail traffic, affected by a strike, is nearly back to normal except in the southeast of the country.
© Chappatte, distributed by Globe Cartoon. More cartoons on Chappatte’s web site. Geneva-based Patrick Chappatte works for the International Herald Tribune, for Geneva newspaper Le Temps, and for NZZ am Sonntag. All cartoons reproduced with permission.
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - WRS public radio (101.7 FM and online) will have a special live programme with Mark Butcher to update listeners on the air travel situation, Saturday 17 April starting at 07:00. The programme will offer live reports from Geneva and Zurich airports, as well as weather and traffic information.
Background: Yahoo, “Volcanoes and planes: survival in the sky”
Airlines, airports expect bumpy ride when ash cloud allows flights to resume Friday evening 16 April
Geneva airport remains open, but flights to and from northern cities are cancelled
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – The ash cloud from Iceland’s volcano is causing severe disruption to airlines throughout Europe, with the UK closed to air traffic until 18:00 Friday evening, airports in northern France including Paris closed, as well as many northern European airports. Hamburg, Bonn and Frankfurt airports are closed in Germany. Geneva and Zurich airports’ web sites were overwhelmed Friday morning, with travelers trying to check on scores of canceled flights.
Here’s the message from Cointrin International Airport in Geneva, with a noon update scheduled:
Flights from Aberdeen airport in Scotland have been suspended and more disruptions are expected as a cloud of volcanic ash moves from Iceland towards British air space, notably towards Scotland. The cloud of ash is then expected to head south. The ash can cause problems for aircraft engines. EasyJet has issued a warning to passengers that major disruptions are possible Thursday 15 April. Norway cancelled flights Wednesday over safety concerns due to the ash. The Eyjafjallajokull glacier’s volcano erupted this week for the second time in four weeks, causing rivers to rise by three metres.
Links to other sites: BBC, Bloomberg/Business Week, easyJet, South Coast Today
The eruption of a volcano 120km southeast of the capital, Reykyavik, had Icelanders speculating that it may trigger an even more powerful volcano. Almost 500 people were evacuated Saturday 21 March from two villages near the Eyjafjallajokull volcano, which shot molten lava into the sky. The country’s two airports were closed and international flights were diverted to avoid volcanic ash being sucked into turbines.
The eruption came after thousands of tremors hit the island over the past month. Iceland is a volcanic outcrop on the mid-Atlantic ridge and is subject to constant seismic activity.
Scientists believe that the eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano will trigger the much more powerful and nearby Katla volcano, which could melt glaciers, cause flooding, and serious damage to the atmosphere. The smaller volcano, dormant for 200 years, has erupted three times in the past 1,000 years, triggering Katla each time.
(Video, AP) An extraordinary high-definition video of the world’s deepest submarine volcano shows an underwater eruption sending volcanic lava to the ocean floor and creating an environment that is more acidic than battery acid. The film was presented at a conference in San Francisco Thursday by the US National Science Foundation and the NOAA. The film was made near Samoa when scientists headed for the area where they’d spotted volcanic activity, then sent a submersible named Jason down to 1,300 metres under the surface to film the fireworks.
Links to other sites: AP/Daily Breeze, BBC, NOAA News with the video in QuickTime
AP interview with video in background
