Flights in and out of Iceland’s main airport have been affected by a much-anticipated volcanic eruption.
For six weeks the Icelandic authorities have been monitoring seismic activity close to Keflavik airport, a major North Atlantic aviation hub.
The eruption is around 10 miles southwest of the airport and northeast of the town of Grindavik – whose 4,000 inhabitants were evacuated as a precaution.
According to data from Flightradar24, the last flight to depart from Keflavik airport was an easyJet departure to Manchester. It took off at 1.35am, over five hours late, and arrived safely at Manchester airport at 4am.
Passengers were told by easyJet: “We’re sorry that your flight has been delayed. This is because volcanic activity in Keflavik (KEF) is causing restrictions to the areas in which aircraft are permitted to fly. The safety of you and our crew is our highest priority and we thank you for your patience.”
Arrivals at Keflavik began at around 5am and have been continuing largely normally. The flight situation is being complicated by a series of strike by air-traffic controllers. The staff, who are involved in a dispute over pay, have been walking out intermittently, with another stoppage scheduled for Wednesday morning, 20 December.
The national airline, Icelandair, is telling passengers: “The eruption does have a very minimal affect the operations of Icelandair or Keflavik airport. Our flight schedule remains unchanged.
“No flights have been delayed or canceled due to the eruption. The safety of our passengers and staff is always our number one priority and at the heart of every decision we make. We’re monitoring the situation closely and will inform our passengers of any new developments.”
Some other Tuesday morning departures from Keflavik are showing long delays. The first wave of flights on Play, a new Icelandic airline, are expected to depart four to five hours late.
Play is telling passengers: “Due to a volcanic eruption in the Reykjanes peninsula in Iceland on 18 December 2023, the roads to the town of Grindavik and the Blue Lagoon have been closed while the situation is being evaluated.
“We do not expect any disruptions to our flight schedule but safety is always our top priority and the situation is being monitored closely by the relevant authorities.
“We ask all passengers booked on upcoming flights to…
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