The airline said that it safely flew a test plane through a ‘red zone’ for volcanic ash yesterday and incurred no damage – however experts have said the plane never entered a danger zone.
President Obama won’t be the only one inconvenienced by ash from the Grimsvotn volcano, however IAA says it still doesn’t expect any disruptions to air travel in Irish space in the next 24 hours.
Met Éireann says it is monitoring the situation, but the IAA is not expecting any disruptions to flights in Irish air space over the next 24 hours. The EU has confirmed that the ash looks likely to enter British and Irish airspace shortly.
History shows that previous eruptions in Grimsvotn have not had much influence on flight traffic — unlike the massive disruption caused last year by Eyjafjallajokull.
Nine things you need to know by 9am: President McAleese gives France and Germany a slap on the wrists, the poignant tale of an elderly man who arrived in hospital with a small fortune strapped to his body and the story of Bear-ack Obama.
Flight carrying US first lady was forced to abort a landing after air traffic controllers mistakenly allowed the place come too close to a military plane.
The air traffic controller in question accidentally broadcast the Samuel L Jackson film he was watching over his microphone, blocking incoming calls from planes.
In today’s Fix: dog ownership could be outlawed in Iran; more drivers caught speeding; and Ukraine promised €550m to build Chernobyl reactor containment shell.
RYANAIR HAS “ANNOUNCED” that it will introduce ‘child-free’ flights from October. In what is most likely an early April Fool’s prank (the statement is dated as April 1) the airline says it was influenced by a pan-European survey of 1,000 passengers – half of those surveyed said they would pay higher fares to avoid having to sit in an enclosed space with other people’s children.
What is definitely true is that Ryanair is to add a €2 levy on to every passenger who book a flight from next Monday. The levy is to cover costs incurred by Ryanair when they are compensating people who have had their flights delayed or cancelled in ‘force majeure’ conditions like last year’s severe snow and ice and the volcanic ash crisis.
Confidential report shows Ireland’s main airport ranks 98th out of 146 international air hubs – but DAA says it compares well with its peer airports in Europe.
Airline says passengers will have to pay for costs of compensation the company is legally obliged to pay under EU law in case of flight cancellations and delays.
