DELIGHTED TO BE HOME

IRISH airports have been given the green light to resume operations one week after volcanic ash crippled the airline business.

The crisis has resulted in losses of more than €70 million for the country’s two biggest carriers.

Last night, at 9pm, the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) and the Civil Aviation Authority in Britain sanctioned the resumption of full service “on a phased basis” in all Irish and British airspace.

Normal airline schedules will take days to recover and intending passengers have been advised to consult airline websites.

The lAA stressed that the lifting of flight restrictions was subject to the ash cloud, positioned between Iceland and Ireland, not moving during the night.

Each airline operating from today will have to comply with guidance material that will include additional reporting, maintenance inspections and regular ash ingestion assessments, said IAA chief Eamonn Brennan.

A change in wind direction by the weekend could help blow Iceland’s volcanic ash cloud away from Europe, Met Éireann forecasters said last night. Aer Lingus and Ryanair have lost more than €70 million since the Icelandic volcano paralysed the aviation industry.

Irish-based CityJet has been losing approximately €1m a day due to the crisis, a small part of the estimated €200m lost by the European industry every day this past week. Transport Minister Noel Dempsey said if the EU opted to compensate airlines, the Government would fight for the Irish carriers to be included. But he firmly ruled out any prospect of the Government itself paying Irish airlines compensation.

“If the EU decide they’re going to offer compensation to airlines, we’ll certainly make a very strong case for Irish airlines,” Mr Dempsey said.

“But at this point in time, with the budgetary situation that we’re in, we don’t anticipate that we’ll be leading a charge to have states compensating airlines… we don’t have the money to do it and we can’t do it.”

There will be limited flight operations from Dublin airport tomorrow and Shannon airport has confirmed it’s to remain open again today.

Commercial director with Aer Lingus Enda Corneille said the airline has all its aircraft back in Ireland and it is hoping to have a full service running from 1pm.

Ryanair has cancelled all flights between Ireland and Britain until 1pm on Friday.