Airports Reopen in Ireland for the Third Time This Week

May 7, 2010

Ireland reopened its western airports today, but warned that the cloud of volcanic ash from Iceland is still lurking offshore.

The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) warned a "massive ash cloud" 1,600 kilometres long and 1,120 kilometres wide is hovering over the Atlantic and drifting into the country’s airspace. While the airspace above Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland was open on Thursday after having been shut for the previous two days, Irish authorities announced later in the day the new ash had forced them to shut airports again. Click here for recent coverage from NPR.

Ireland’s two major airlines, Ryanair and Aer Lingus, shifted services to Dublin Airport in the east and Cork Airport in the southwest during the early-morning shutdowns of other airports today. Uncertain how long Shannon Airport in western Ireland would be shut, Aer Lingus opted to bus hundreds of U.S.-bound Aer Lingus passengers four hours east to fly from Dublin instead.  

Any NTA members that have been affected by this recent ash plume or who have any information they need to get out to members on this topic, please let us know at questions@ntastaff.com. Connect with NTA and other NTA members on this and other current travel topics on our Facebook page.