A more open sky
Posted on April 20, 2010 by admin
Freedom to fly. Holders of Transport of the European Union (EU) agreed yesterday to reopen this morning, later, air traffic in areas not affected by the volcanic plume from Iceland. From now on, will the airlines to decide whether they want to fly or not in these areas.
This was established yesterday in the extraordinary meeting of ministers by videoconference, was impossible to meet in Brussels by the closure of some airports. Decided to divide the airspace into three zones according to their involvement in volcanic ash: the first, in the heart of the emissions, maintaining the absolute ban on flying, and the second, with traces of ashes, operate in coordination with the European authorities.
Meanwhile, in the third zone, companies must determine for themselves whether they fly, based on the recommendations of experts and enhanced security measures. It’s the same policy that works in the U.S., and that the EU applies in other situations, such as storms.
Because, in the words of the European transport commissioner, Siim Kallas, the current situation of closing the airspace can not be sustained for long, even for a few more days. ” The companies had repeatedly claimed that restrictive measures could be relaxed.
Thus, several countries have announced in the last hours some opening of its airports. Including France, where in the north were reopened on a “partial”. Meanwhile, British Airways intends to make some flights to and from London today, the day when Ireland will operate. Eurocontrol expects today off between 40 and 45% of scheduled flights in Europe. Yesterday was only 30%. And tomorrow is estimated that the increase will be similar.
Management criticism
And while the International Air Transport Association (IATA) yesterday harshly criticized European governments for its handling of the situation, made “no risk analysis, without consultation, without coordination and without leadership.”
For its part, the Association of Spanish pilots believed to have correctly applied the protocols for contingencies such as the volcanic plume.
SPAIN, BRITISH BASE OF OPERATIONS
The British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, yesterday asked the Spanish president, José Luis RodrÃguez Zapatero, help to return home to their compatriots’ caught in Africa and Asia. ” Zapatero offered, in principle, the use of the airport of Barajas, in Madrid, as a base from which to charter buses or trains in the direction of the United Kingdom.
Also yesterday moved from the British Isles two Navy ships to ferry civilians and one to transport a group of soldiers serving in Afghanistan. The UK will begin today to open its airspace to traffic in Scotland and northern England because of the situation, according to the British Aviation Authority, improve “continuously.”
