Volcanic Ash Shuts European Airports

(Video: Bloomberg • Story: Journal of Commerce Online)



Cargo flights among those canceled across the continent

Drifting ash from a volcanic eruption in Iceland forced airports across northern Europe to shut down on Thursday, canceling as many as 4,000 passenger and cargo flights.

Eurocontrol, the pan-European air traffic control agency, said flights were being affected Thursday to and from the U.K., Scandinavia, Belgium and the Netherlands.

All flights in and out of the U.K. were suspended until 6 p.m. local time at the earliest. Officials said it is too early to say how long it will take the ash to clear. Air space in northern Germany likely will be closed later Thursday, and French authorities are considering whether to close air corridors over France. Read more here.