source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8628323.stm
In about twenty countries in Europe flights have been cancelled. Due to the ash coming from a volcano in Iceland the air would not be safe to fly. The ash, which consists of fragments of glass, rock and sand, would be damaging to the engines of aircrafts. Several test flights, carried out by different flying operators in Europe, show no damage or danger whatsoever. Airlines see no harm in flying and want to resume their flights. Authorities think this is too dangerous. Next Monday a videoconference will be held with transport ministers to come to a decision.
Though the cancellation on flights is highly unfortunate, safety of the passengers is most important. Test flights may have showed no damage to the aircrafts, these flights were probably short flights. The aircrafts were not in the air for a very long time, and also there are no test flights done in England. The only test flights are done in Germany, the Netherlands and France. It may be so that the test flights show no damage, other authorities show with other scientific tests that the air is still filthy with ash and this could be dangerous to aircrafts and therefore, for the people within the aircraft. Until scientific research shows the air to be ash-free, flights should remain cancelled.
Hi Brechtje,
BeantwoordenVerwijderenInteresting subject, very up to date! You say the vulcano is in Ireland, I think you mean Iceland! You also forgot the word "fragments" in the following sentence: "The ash, which consists (fragments) of glass, rock and sand...".
I partially agree with you, I think it is good to keep aircrafts on the ground, for now. But I have read in several newspapers that the ash is no threat to passengers. The damage to the planes is the only thing keeping them down, there is not threat of crashing or anything!
xx Kimberly