Irish airspace remained clear and UK flights began returning to normal this morning as disruption caused by the diminishing Icelandic ash cloud shifted towards northern Europe.

FREEZING temperatures and snowstorms killed 12 more people and caused travel chaos across northern Europe yesterday as some of the worst floods in a century devastated parts of the Balkans.

Thousands of pilots returned to work at German airline Lufthansa today after a strike was suspended but the carrier warned that it would not return to its normal schedule until Friday.

A plane slid off an icy runway and powerful winds and heavy snow forced hundreds of flight cancellations across Europe today as blasts of freezing cold buffeted Western Europe.

A strike by ground staff forced the closure of both of Berlin’s airports early today and caused the cancellation of more than 20 flights.

TEMPELHOF Airport has been many things to Berlin — a lifeline to German areas cut off after the great war, a centre of the city’s defence in WWII, and the hub of the airlift that ensured West Berlin’s survival over the cold war.

AN AIRPORT that was the starting point for one of the September 11 hijackers was evacuated for several hours after receiving a bomb threat signed under the alleged terrorist’s name.

Private flights over Berlin will be banned from next week, officials said today – a week after a small plane crashed on the lawn between Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder’s office and the parliament building.