Question: Why Has the Volcano Eruption in Iceland Grounded Air Travel in Europe?
Looking at the 2010 volcanic eruption in Iceland and why it has led to so many European airports being shut down, and thousands of canceled flights.
Answer: The spring 2010 volcanic eruption in Iceland has led to a virtual closure of airspace spanning most of Northern Europe for days. With so many European airports being shut down, and thousands of canceled flights, looking at why this volcano's eruption has caused so much air travel chaos.
- Iceland is located close to the center of the over-water portion of Transatlantic flights to many parts of Europe. You have a major weather/natural event, it is bound to impact these flights. Volcanic ash is inherently dangerous, even deadly to flights, so it just doesn't make sense to fly into such a dangerous situation.
- Iceland's location, and part of the reason so many Transatlantic flights follow this route is the jetstream. The jetstream serves airlines in terms of more favorable flying conditions such as being more fuel efficient, but also ensures a quicker delivery of hazardous volcanic ash into European air space.
- The volcanic ash (sharp, like tiny shards of glass) blanketed much of Europe, particularly Northern Europe, impacting some of the busiest airports on Earth. London Heathrow, Amsterdam Schipol, in fact all UK airports were closed for extended periods of time because the risks associated with aircraft and volcanic ash were deemed to be too great.