air India Cancels Flights to London Because of Ash clouds

Online, May 21, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Ash clouds from a new surge in Icelandic volcanoes caused fresh travel chaos in major European air routes shutting down key airports in the continent. India's leading carrier Air India cancelled its Heathrow bound flights from Delhi and Mumbai on Monday.

The black clouds also shut other major airports in Europe including Schipol and Rottredam in Holland, and Gatwick and London as well as flights to and fro from Ireland and Scotland.

Around 1,000 flights out of 28,000 were disrupted according to Eurocontrol. London's Heathrow which is the busiest airport in Europe and Gatwick reopened at 1300 GMT (1730 IST) after being closed down for seven hours from 0400-1300 hrs. All airports in Ireland and Scotland were also shut down.

Jet Airways, however flew scheduled flights from Delhi and Mumbai as their flights land at Heathrow in the night.

The latest closures came at the beginning of the week as travel was expected to be disrupted due to five day strike called British Airways cabin crew.

Europe's skies became no-fly zone for up to a week in April following the eruption of Icelands Eyjafjoell volcano, in the biggest shut down of continents airspace in last 50 years.

Air India sources said that its Amritsar-London-Toronto flight is airborne and expected to land in New Delhi on Monday night. The Heathrow-bound flights from Mumbai and Delhi are expected to fly as per schedule on Tuesday.

Delays will also be experienced by flights due to congestion in airspace adjacent to closed areas. Ash can clog aircraft engines.

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