Aviation industry ‘ignored calls to measure safe ash levels’
In recent days major European airlines have claimed they should be compensated by governments for loss of earnings caused by the banning of flights across the continent during the Icelandic volcano crisis.
The airlines – which include Ryanair, Virgin, and British Airways – have individually suggested authorities “over-reacted” by introducing the ban without obtaining specific evidence on the dangers of flying in certain ash cloud plumes.
However, it has since emerged that airliner manufacturers were guilty of the same mistake themselves after they failed to respond to three urgent requests to investigate the issue in 2007, 2008 and early April 2010 by a global expert group.
The International Airways Volcano Watch Operations (IAVWO) group, a division of the International Civil Aviation Organisation, has confirmed it contacted airliner manufacturers and industry representatives to discuss the issue.
Minutes from the group’s 2007 annual conference in New Zealand show there was a need to define a safe lower limit for planes which could be flying in the event of an ash cloud from an erupting volcano.
“There is no definition of a safe concentration of ash for different aircraft,” it warned.
In a working paper published by the group after the meeting, the IAVWO said there was a clear need to address this issue to prevent the likelihood of total airspace shutdowns. However, despite industry representatives being contacted it received no response.
At the following year’s AGM the group considered a proposal from the Iceland Meteorological Organisation to introduce a second weather radar in the area to monitor volcano activity.
The minutes noted that “such eruptions could have a major impact on aircraft operations over the north Atlantic regions since Icelandic volcanoes were situated close to important air routes”.
However, the IAVWO said the suggestion could not be acted on without scientific evaluation from industry experts.
Two weeks before the ash cloud crisis the group again drew attention to the risk posed to air travel by a volcanic eruption at its AGM in Chile, but airline manufacturers declined to attend.
The details emerged as EU transport minister, Siim Kallas, yesterday said the six-day shutdown of airspace over Europe cost airlines, airports and holiday operators up to €2.5bn.
While most stranded tourists are now home, a significant number of long-haul travellers are still stuck abroad in destinations as diverse as the US, Mauritius and Australia.
