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LONDON – In a bid to keep the skies open for business, British aviation regulators introduced relaxed flight safety rules yesterday that will allow planes to fly in thicker volcanic ash than was previously permitted.
The new area – called a "Time-Limited Zone" – comes after ash from Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull volcano shut down much of Europe’s airspace for a week last month and disrupted some 1,000 flights on Monday.
Airlines, which have lost millions of dollars due to the ash alerts, have expressed their fury with what they viewed as unnecessary restrictions introduced by overcautious safety watchdogs.
In announcing the new measures, Britain’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said: "Aircraft and engine manufacturers … have agreed that it is safe to allow operations in the new zone for a limited time."
British air traffic control company Nats said the new rules meant that restrictions on British airspace could now be eased. "As a result of this change, there are no predicted restrictions on United Kingdom airspace in the immediate future," chief executive officer Richard Deakin said.
To operate in the new zone, airlines must get a guarantee from their engine-makers that their aircraft can safely tolerate the ash, said the CAA. This had already been achieved by British airline Flybe, and other airlines are expected to follow soon.
British Airways chief executive Willie Walsh led the attack on Monday’s flight restrictions, labelling them "a gross over-reaction to a very minor risk".
London’s Heathrow and Gatwick airports and Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport – some of Europe’s biggest air travel hubs – reopened on Monday after they closed because of volcanic ash worries.
