A handout photograph released by the Icelandic Coast Guard showing an ariael view showing ash cloud from a volcanic eruption close to the top of Eyjafjallajokull glacier in Iceland on 14 April 2010. Media reports state that Air traffic controllers in Brussels, Belgium, in charge of strategic management of flights across Europe have issued warnings to pilots that all British airspace north of London is closed until further notice and that many flights into Britain can expect to be diverted to other countries or cancelled. EPA/ARNI SAEBERG / ICELANDIC COAST GUARD / HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES
A handout photograph released by the Icelandic Coast Guard showing an ariael view ash from a volcanic eruption on the Eyjafjallajokull glacier in Iceland on 14 April 2010. Media reports state that Air traffic controllers in Brussels, Belgium, in charge of strategic management of flights across Europe have issued warnings to pilots that all British airspace north of London is closed until further notice and that many flights into Britain can expect to be diverted to other countries or cancelled. EPA/ARNI SAEBERG / ICELANDIC COAST GUARD / HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES
A handout photograph released by the Icelandic Coast Guard showing an ariael view of an ash cloud from a volcanic eruption close to the top of Eyjafjallajokull glacier in Iceland on 14 April 2010. EPA/ARNI SAEBERG / ICELANDIC COAST GUARD / HANDOUT
The departure and arrivals information board at Oslo Airport Gardermoen, Norway, on 15 April 2010 after fights have been cancelled due to ash from a volcanic eruption in Iceland. Media reports state that Air traffic controllers in Brussels, Belgium, in charge of strategic management of flights across Europe have issued warnings to pilots that all British airspace north of London is closed until further notice and that many flights can expect to be diverted to other countries or cancelled. EPA/HAKON MOSVOLD LARSEN NORWAY OUT
A passenger sits waiting for his flight at Belfast International Airport, Belfast, Northern Ireland April 15, 2010, following the closure of the airport due to a cloud of volcanic ash from Iceland. The Air Traffic Control Service (Nats) said no flights would be allowed in or out of UK airspace from midday to 1800BST amid fears of engine damage. Airports operator BAA confirmed all flights at Heathrow, Stansted and Gatwick would be suspended from midday. And in Scotland, authorities have already shut all their airports. The restrictions, in accordance with international civil aviation policy, were imposed after the Met Office warned ash could clog engines. Passengers were advised to contact their carriers prior to travel. Experts have warned that the tiny particles of rock, glass and sand contained in the ash cloud would be sufficient to jam aircraft engines. EPA/PAUL MCERLANE
An aircraft for Emirates airlines takes off from Dubai Airport, United Arab Emirates on 15 April 2010. Emirates flights to the United Kingdom have been cancelled due to a planned closure of UK airspace as an ash cloud from a volcanic eruption in Iceland moves across the country. . Emirates continues to liaise with the UK and European ATC authorities to monitor the movement of the ash cloud EPA/ALI HAIDER
Passengers wait outside the Terminal 3 building in Heathrow airport, London, Britain, 15 April 2010. Airline passengers are facing massive disruptions across the UK after an ash cloud from a volcanic eruption in Iceland has grounded planes. The Air Traffic Control Service said no flight would be allowed in or out of UK airspace from midday to 18:00 BST amid fears of engine damage caused the tiny ash particles. EPA/FELIPE TRUEBA
Passengers sit on the ground outside the Terminal 3 building in Heathrow airport, London, 15 April 2010. Airline passengers are facing massive disruptions across the UK after an ash cloud from a volcanic eruption in Iceland has grounded planes. The Air Traffic Control Service said no flight would be allowed in or out of UK airspace from midday to 18:00 BST amid fears of engine damage caused the tiny ash particles. EPA/FELIPE TRUEBA
An information board displays cancelled flights at the airport Stansted near London, Great Britain, 15 April 2010. Due to ash from a vulcano eruption in Iceland, the air traffic in Britain is nearly at a standstill. Media reports state that Air traffic controllers in Brussels, Belgium, in charge of strategic management of flights across Europe have issued warnings to pilots that all British airspace north of London is closed until further notice and that many flights into Britain can expect to be diverted to other countries or cancelled. EPA/MICHAEL HEUBERGER
Passengers wait for information outside Terminal 3 building in Heathrow airport, London, Britain, 15 April 2010. Airline passengers are facing massive disruptions across the UK after an ash cloud from a volcanic eruption in Iceland has grounded planes. The Air Traffic Control Service said no flight would be allowed in or out of UK airspace from midday to 18:00 BST amid fears of engine damage caused the tiny ash particles. EPA/FELIPE TRUEBA
Passengers wait in a queue to change their ticket for another destination at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam, The Netherlands on 15 April 2010. European aviation control agency Eurocontrol said on 15 April 2010 it had not made an official decision yet on the closure of the Dutch airspace due to the approach of volcanic ash, refuting reports of such a decision. EPA/TOUSSAINT KLUITERS
Passengers wait for information outside Terminal 3 building in Heathrow airport, London, Britain, 15 April 2010. Airline passengers are facing massive disruptions across the UK after an ash cloud from a volcanic eruption in Iceland has grounded planes. The Air Traffic Control Service said no flight would be allowed in or out of UK airspace from midday to 18:00 BST amid fears of engine damage caused the tiny ash particles. EPA/FELIPE TRUEBA
Ground check that the engines of parked aircraft are free from dust at Belfast City Airport, Northern Ireland, April 15, 2010, following the closure of UK & Ireland Airspace due to a cloud of volcanic ash from Iceland. The Air Traffic Control Service (Nats) said no flights would be allowed in or out of UK airspace from midday to 1800BST amid fears of engine damage. Airports operator BAA confirmed all flights at Heathrow, Stansted and Gatwick would be suspended from midday. And in Scotland, authorities have already shut all their airports. The restrictions, in accordance with international civil aviation policy, were imposed after the Met Office warned ash could clog engines. Passengers were advised to contact their carriers prior to travel. Experts have warned that the tiny particles of rock, glass and sand contained in the ash cloud would be sufficient to jam aircraft engines. EPA/PAUL MCERLANE
Lufthansa's welcoming slogan for travellers hits a hollow note for some as passengers wait for information for flight to the United Kingdom and Scandinavia, at Frankfurt Airport, Germany, 15 April 2010. Due to the ashes of a vulcanic eruption in Iceland, flights to and from Great Britain and Scandinavia had to be delayed or cancelled. The ashes in the air endanger the jet engines and affect the pilots' vision. EPA/BORIS ROESSLER
Grounded planes in Heathrow airport, London, Britain, 15 April 2010. Airline passengers are facing massive disruptions across the UK after an ash cloud from a volcanic eruption in Iceland has grounded planes. The Air Traffic Control Service said no flight would be allowed in or out of UK airspace from midday to 18:00 BST amid fears of engine damage caused the tiny ash particles. EPA/FELIPE TRUEBA
Passengers wait at Faro airport, in Faro, Portugal 15 April 2010, after several flights were cancelled after a cloud of volcanic ash from Iceland grounded most flights and shut various airports across the Europe. Media reports state that Air traffic controllers in Brussels, Belgium, in charge of strategic management of flights across Europe have issued warnings to pilots that all British airspace north of London is closed until further notice and that many flights into Britain can expect to be diverted to other countries or cancelled. EPA/LUIS FORRA
Grounded planes in Heathrow airport, London, Britain, 15 April 2010. Airline passengers are facing massive disruptions across Britian after an ash cloud from a volcanic eruption in Iceland has grounded planes. The Air Traffic Control Service said no flight would be allowed in or out of UK airspace from midday to 18:00 BST amid fears of engine damage caused the tiny ash particles. EPA/FELIPE TRUEBA
Passengers wait at Faro airport, in Faro, Portugal 15 April 2010, after several flights were cancelled after a cloud of volcanic ash from Iceland grounded most flights and shut various airports across the Europe. Media reports state that Air traffic controllers in Brussels, Belgium, in charge of strategic management of flights across Europe have issued warnings to pilots that all British airspace north of London is closed until further notice and that many flights into Britain can expect to be diverted to other countries or cancelled. EPA/MARIO CRUZ
Grounded airplanes at Heathrow airport, London 15 April 2010. Airline passengers are facing massive disruptions across the UK after an ash cloud from a volcanic eruption in Iceland has grounded planes. The Air Traffic Control Service said no flight would be allowed in or out of UK airspace from midday to 18:00 BST amid fears of engine damage caused the tiny ash particles. EPA/FELIPE TRUEBA
A handout photograph released by the European Space Agency (ESA) shows an image, acquired on 15 April 2010 by Envisat's Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS), of the vast cloud of volcanic ash sweeping across the UK from the eruption in Iceland, more than 1.000 km away. The ash, which can be seen as the large grey streak in the image, is drifting from west to east at a height of about 11 km above the surface Earth. One flight out of four in Europe has been grounded due to the ash cloud caused by an erupting volcano in Iceland, an official from the European air-traffic control body said 15 April. EPA/ESA HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES
