Eurocontrol Update on European air traffic situation – 18 April 21.00 CET

EUROCONTROL reports that approximately 5,000 flights have taken place today in European airspace. On a normal Sunday, we would expect 24,000.

HTML Volcanic ash cloud map 18 April – 21.00 CET

At the current time, air traffic control services are not being provided to civil aircraft in the major part of European airspace. This includes Belgium, parts of Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, parts of France, most of Germany, Hungary, Ireland, northern Italy, the Netherlands, parts of Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine and the UK.

In some of these areas the upper airspace has been made available, depending on the observed and forecasted area of possible ash contamination. However, it is difficult to access this airspace as in most cases the surrounding area is not available for flights.

Southern Europe, including Spain, Portugal, the southern Balkan area, southern Italy, Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey are open and flights are taking place in these areas.

The latest updated map of observed and forecasted area of possible ash contamination indicates some positive evolution in the coming hours.