Europe Airlines call for flight resumption

The International Air Transport Association [IATA] has urged governments to rethink decisions to close large swathes of European airspace because of the Icelandic volcano’s ash cloud.

Diego Lopez Garrido, the Spanish secretary of state for European affairs, said half of the flights planned in Europe could take place on Monday.

“We are far enough into this crisis to express our dissatisfaction on how governments have managed it, with no risk assessment, no consultation and no leadership,” said Giovanni Bisignani, the IATA director general and chief executive. “This crisis is costing airlines at least $200 million a day in lost revenues and the European economy has already suffered billions of dollars in lost business. Read more

Air Travel Remains Suspended

The indefinite cancellation of flights over European airspace has started driving desperate travellers to take unimaginable routes that are currently the only option to attend a funeral, wedding or an all-important meeting.Since Saturday night, travel agents have been receiving SOS messages from stuck passengers to somehow get a seat on any plane to Athens, Moscow, Istanbul or Tashkent so that they can then take combinations of rail-road-and-sea routes to mainland Europe. Read more