The second volcanic eruption in a month's time in Iceland, under ice this time.
See details of the story below
Volcanic ash: Your stories of travel disruption
BBC News
Airline passengers are facing massive disruption after an ash cloud from a volcanic eruption in Iceland grounded flights to and from the UK.
Stranded travellers have been sending their stories to BBC News.
Are you affected by the delays and cancellations? Write to us using the form at the bottom of this story.
Volcanic ash disrupts UK flights
Here are some of your comments:
I was due to travel to Dublin leaving Southampton airport at 0650 (BST). My flight was cancelled along with 90% of the other flights from this airport this morning. I have been placed on the next available flight at approx 1430 this afternoon however there are no guarantees that, that flight will go ahead either!
Grant Bradshaw, Southampton
Currently stuck at Abu Dhabi airport, waiting to fly to Manchester. We have no idea how long we will be here.
James Pickles, UAE
Birmingham airport staff told us "no flights taking off today and probably not tomorrow either". At 0540 Ryanair staff didn't seem to know what to tell us and just suggested I wait. I didn't see the point of hanging around all day so went home.
Dave Griffiths, Redditch
VOLCANIC ASH CLOUD
The eruption in the Eyjafjallajoekull area is the second to occur in a month
This eruption has released ash to significantly greater heights
Volcanic ash contains tiny particles of rock and even glass, which can wreak havoc with machinery
A 1982 BA flight unknowingly flew into an ash cloud, shutting down all four engines
Animated guide: Volcanoes
Been hanging on to BA call centre now for almost two hours. NATS website has crashed.
Alex Simpson, Johnstone, Scotland
Stranded in Atlanta after our Delta Airlines flight was turned back three hours into its journey to Manchester.
The Greens, currently in Atlanta
At Schiphol Airport they are handing out badly photocopied A4 letters to passengers like myself, whose flights (Birmingham in my case) have been cancelled, telling them that cancellations for "extraordinary circumstances such as meteorological conditions" are "exempt of compensation payments".
Peter Feuilherade, Ironbridge, UK
In this image made available by the Icelandic Coastguard, Wednesday April 14, 2010, smoke and steam rises from the volcano under the Eyjafjallajokull glacier in Iceland, which erupted for the second time in less than a month, melting ice, shooting smoke and steam into the air and forcing hundreds of people to flee rising floodwaters.
The eruption is the second in Iceland in less than a month
Was due to fly back to Heathrow today from Shanghai but both Virgin and BA flights have been cancelled as it is expected that Heathrow will be closed this afternoon. Desperately trying to find other ways home as I have to be back in Peterborough by mid-morning Friday. Going to try via Hong Kong, Frankfurt and hopefully Heathrow will be open early tomorrow! All Hong Kong to London flights fully booked!
Mark Hazlehurst, Shanghai, China
I was booked to travel to Iceland tomorrow as a tourist to see the eruption. Looks like it's coming to me!
Alan Simpson, Johnstone, Scotland
We were on a BA flight leaving Los Angeles for Heathrow. We boarded and then 30 minutes later we were told about the situation, and that the flight was delayed indefinitely. We have disembarked and BA have put us up at a hotel at the airport. No eta of rescheduled flight. Many people are really cheesed off about the cancellation - mainly because they feel that we should have never boarded the aircraft.
Janet, Preston
I am in Iceland trying to travel back home today. I think it's going to be a very long day, even if my flight leaves and arrives at Heathrow (it's already over an hour delayed) my onward flight to Edinburgh doesn't look like it will be flying. It's very frustrating.
Florence Kennedy, Edinburgh
We were due to fly from Luton airport to Faro at 0645 this morning. When we arrived at Luton at 0430 departure boards were saying flight cancelled. Monarch finally told us at about 0605 that today's flights were cancelled. We are now back home in north London.
Tony Geoghegan, London
My flights were cancelled this morning. I was due to fly from Frankfurt via Heathrow to Aberdeen. BA call centres in the UK are overstretched, Frankfurt airport called this morning recommending not even attempting to fly to Heathrow due to both possible cancellations of England flights as well as chaotic situations at train stations and other public transport. I am now rebooked for Saturday but they also said as long as the volcano carries on erupting, there is no guarantee that flights will go.
Anni, Aberdeen
I arrived at East Midlands airport this morning for a flight at 0650 to Amsterdam. I was allowed to check my bags in, then five minutes later the notice that the flight was cancelled came up on the display. There was a large queue at the customer services desk and there was a father and daughter behind me who also had their flight to Paris cancelled. The mood of the people was very angry. However, we were offered a free transfer to another flight or a full refund. All in all, these things happen. We don't need another Polish plane disaster and sometimes people forget that safety procedures are there for a reason.
Bryan Duggan, Leek , England
Our flight from Shanghai to Heathrow today was cancelled due to the ash. I am travelling as part of a group of 40 school students from Twickenham. We were not told of the ash until the departure time came and went, but so far BA have dealt with it excellently. As soon as the flight was cancelled the whole group was bussed together to a decent hotel and lunch was laid on. It has made what could have been a very difficult situation for the teachers, with the group splitting up, no food and no money etc, into a very easy extra night organised by BA.
Daniel Kyle, Twickenham, UK
Having experience of the effects of dust upon gas turbine aero-engines, I believe that the hazard has been somewhat overstated. Whilst flying through volcanic dust should be avoided, provided aircraft don't fly directly through the dust cloud there is no reason to suspend flying activity altogether.
Iain Duncan, Ilminster
With the disasters and threat to life and properties, please re-read my posting of the urgent message of the Lord posted on April 12, 2010.
