EUROCONTROL expects approximately 5,000 flights to take place today in European airspace. On a normal Saturday, we would expect 22,000. Yesterday, 16 April, there were 10,400 flights compared to the normal 28,000.

There are restrictions on civil flights across most of northern and central Europe. This includes Austria, Belgium, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, most of France, most of Germany, Hungary, Ireland, northern Italy, the Netherlands, 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 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, the southern Balkan area, southern Italy , Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey remain open and flights are taking place in these areas.

Approximately 600 trans-Atlantic flights take place each day, 300 in each direction. Of the 300 flights that would usually arrive in Europe, 73 flights arrived in Europe this morning.

EUROCONTROL, the air navigation service providers and the airlines are working closely together to ensure that whenever airspace becomes available, even if it is only for a short time, flights are able to take place in the most efficient and safe manner.

Source and map: Eurocontrol.