Irish airspace and airports cleared to open

The lAA warns that the lifting of the restrictions is subject to the ash cloud, currently positioned between Iceland and Ireland, not moving over Ireland tonight and no further aggressive volcanic activity.

It is expected that flights tomorrow will focus on positioning aircraft and crews and full service by the airlines may take up to three days to recover. Passengers should consult airline websites before travelling to the airport for flights.

Following the agreement of the European Transport Ministers yesterday, the Irish Aviation Authority, UK Civil Aviation Authority, and UK NATS have agreed on a safe model to allow flight operations to resume in both countries.

Mr Eamonn Brennan, IAA CEO, said:

"We welcome this agreement, which balances safety priorities with the need of the industry. This provides the foundation for a long term solution to the volcanic ash issue, however we need to be careful over the next few days as we are concerned that the ash cloud currently positioned between Iceland and Ireland may drift over the country.

Ireland is one of the closest European countries to the exclusion zone which is shown in the Eurocontrol Air Ash Concentration Charts."

You can view the areas zoned by Eurocontrol as of 1800 on Tuesday 20th April 2010, at:

Subject to Ireland not being in the high risk exclusion zone, and the continued dispersal of the volcanic ash cloud and no further significant eruptions, restrictions in Irish airspace will end at 2100hrs local tonight in 'Zone 2' as per the Eurocontrol definition:

* ZONE 2: In low contaminated areas, States should allow airlines to operate, fully supported by shared data, including advice from the scientific community (meteo, volcanic ash proliferation etc.) including safety assessments, supported by tests under the oversight of the competent Safety Authorities;

The aircraft engine manufacturers have been consulted and detailed technical guidance has been developed in conjunction with CAA and IAA.

This has been issued to airlines and maintenance organisations. This includes a risk management regime and additional maintenance. Each airline will have to comply with guidance material that will include additional reporting, maintenance inspections and regular ash ingestion assessments.

Full service by the airlines may take up to three days to recover as aircraft must be repositioned and passengers should consult airline websites before travelling to the airport for flights.

The IAA has no information on any individual flights and passengers should consult airline websites before travelling to the airport for flights.

There will be a further update at 1000 tomorrow Wednesday 21st April 2010.