Airports in Ireland, Scotland Reopen after Ash Disruption

Ireland's major airlines largely resumed normal schedules by 9 a.m. (0800 GMT) Thursday, although Aer Lingus canceled 34 flights and Ryanair just four. Photo by EPA/BGNES

All airports in Scotland and Ireland reopened Thursday after the latest engine-wrecking ash cloud from Iceland's volcano drifted west back into the Atlantic.

The latest threat from Iceland's Eyjafjallajokul volcano caused two days of runway shutdowns and flight cancellations in the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland, inconveniencing an estimated 100,000 travelers. Irish and British airlines launched extra services Thursday to help get them on their way.

The volcano has regularly belched out ash since its eruption began April 13, and European air authorities initially reacted April 14-20 by shutting down all air services in several countries to the east, stopping 100,000 flights and 10 million passengers.

This time, newly negotiated European safety rules restricted the aircraft grounding to Britain and Ireland and involved more precise closure orders based on how close the densest ash clouds were to airports' landing and takeoff paths.

Ireland's major airlines largely resumed normal schedules by 9 a.m. (0800 GMT) Thursday, although Aer Lingus canceled 34 flights and Ryanair just four, chiefly involving airports in southwest Ireland where the ash was last to leave. Scotland's airports reopened earlier.

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