About 50% of normal flights over Europe may be able to operate on Monday as weather forecasts predict an ash cloud from Iceland's volcano will be dispelled by wind over part of the continent, the Voice of America has said, quoting the Spanish secretary of state for EU affairs.
Diego Lopez Garrido, whose country is currently holding the EU rotating chair, told journalists in Brussels on Sunday that 27 test flights held by three European air companies showed volcanic ash caused no damage to planes, although ash clouds remain over a large part of Northern and Central Europe.
The Voice of America quoted KLM Royal Dutch Airlines as saying four planes flew in a normal pattern at a height of 3,000 meters from Amsterdam to Dusseldorf on Sunday. Pilots said the aircraft were not damaged in any way.
Lufthansa carried out ten test flights from Frankfurt to Munich Saturday without incident, and Air France flew several successful flights, VOA said.
However, meteorologists were quoted as saying that unpredictable wind shifts were still possible, which could make flights dangerous.
European transport ministers will hold an emergency teleconference on Monday to review the results of the test flights and decide whether to reopen airspace over Europe.
Icelandic scientists said on Sunday the Eyjafjallajokull volcano had thrown out about 140 million cubic meters of ash over the past three days. A large ash cloud that has spread over Europe has forced many European countries to close airports due to flight safety concerns.
According to expert estimates, air companies have suffered loses of up to $150 million euros ($200 million) a day because of flight cancellations. Thousands of passengers remain stranded at airports across Europe.
MOSCOW, April 19 (RIA Novosti)
