Ash Disruption Eases as Europe Prepares for Holiday Travel Rush - BusinessWeek

Flight disruption from volcanic ash eased as the Icelandic eruption diminished and winds blew the dust cloud away from the region, suggesting one of Europe’s busiest weekends for travel may be free from airport closures.

While particles spewed from the Eyjafjallajökull volcano earlier this week are still affecting Spain, fresh ash is being carried east and north, away from European airspace, said Helga Ivarsdottir, a meteorologist at the Icelandic Met Office.

“Europe should be able to relax over the weekend, with the exception of the Faroe Islands and Scotland, which have to be on guard,” she said in a telephone interview. “The ash released in the past few days is now far south of Iceland and that could have an impact on air traffic, but as time passes the cloud gets thinner and is therefore of less concern for airlines.”

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