Airlines return to near-normal flight schedule

DESPITE an ash cloud 2,100 miles long and 1,400 miles wide hovering off the west coast, Irish airports will be open for business for much of today, allowing airlines to operate a near-normal service.

Donegal, Sligo and Knock airports were all forced to close yesterday afternoon and evening due to the high-risk exclusion zone associated with the concentrated ash cloud.

However, all those airports reopened at 6am today.