Ecology, Energy, EU – Baltic States, Transport

Large areas of Norwegian and Swedish airspace are closed today due to the ash cloud, and severe disruptions are also being felt in the UK.

Carried by winds blowing from the west, clouds of ash in the upper layers of the atmosphere are moving eastward towards Latvia.

People will only be affected by through restrictions on airline activity. The ash will not be visible as a cloud, as the particles are very fine and thinly dispersed; however, the clouds present a risk to aircraft, as engines can become clogged.

According to airBaltic spokesman Janis Vanags, the airline has already been forced to cancel flights to the Norwegian city of Bergen, while there could also be disruptions today to travel to and from Oslo, Copenhagen, Gothenberg, Bilund, and airports in northern Finland.

airBaltic call for passengers to check homepages for up-to-date information, or to contact the company directly.

People should not be concerned about breathing difficulties, as the ash particles are confined to the upper layers of the atmosphere.