New ash cloud sees further air chaos

A new ash cloud has thrown plans to reopen UK airspace into further chaos as the volcano eruption in Iceland looked to have "strengthened."

Birmingham and Manchester airports announced this morning there would be no flights until at least 7pm, despite earlier plans to resume services at lunchtime.

Ryanair grounded services until 1pm tomorrow, while Thomson has cancelled all UK outbound flights until at least Thursday.

A handful of flights took off in Scotland from 7.15am today, before it was announced Glasgow Airport would close again at 1pm due to the worsening ash cloud.

Air traffic control company Nats said: "The eruption has strengthened and a new ash cloud is spreading south and east towards the UK.

"This demonstrates the dynamic and rapidly changing conditions in which we are working."

Gordon Brown explained today while some airlines had been taking advantage of windows of opportunity, passenger safety was "paramount."

British Airways today cancelled all short-haul flights and is aiming to resume some long haul flights after 4pm. It reckons the flight ban had cost it around £15million to £20million a day.

BA had customers booked to travel on a cancelled flight would be able to claim a full refund or rebook their trip for a later date.

EasyJet revealed all its flights to and from northern Europe were cancelled until 5pm, but it would continue to operate routes in southern Europe.

Birmingham Airport spokeswoman Justine Hunt told of how bosses were assessing the situation in six hourly checks.

A second meeting of the Government's Cobra emergency committee was taking place today.

Ministers met last night but resisted a clamour from airlines to restore flights.