Ash crisis highlights need for central air navigation system

THE volcanic ash crisis highlighted the need for one central air navigation system in Europe, Transport Minister Noel Dempsey said yesterday.

The minister said he intended raising the issue at a meeting of European transport ministers early next month, saying it was an issue that needed to be progressed quickly.

Around 30,000 Irish people were believed to have been stranded abroad as a result of the no-fly ban, but a significant proportion are believe to have made it home using other modes of transport.