By DPA,
London : Flight restrictions over Britain were lifted late Tuesday after five days of total shutdown of air traffic, and airports will be able to reopen immediately, the government said.
The announcement by Transport Secretary Andrew Adonis came as something of a surprise after air traffic control services had earlier extended the flying ban until early Wednesday morning.
Adonis said the decision had been taken in consultation with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and a “reassessment of the risk to aircraft from volcanic ash.”
All British airports could now reopen from 2200 local time (2100 GMT) and it was up to airlines to bring flight schedules back on track.
Some restrictions would remain in place, but they would be much smaller than those enforced under the ban, which had been in force since last Thursday.
The CAA said there had been detailed consultation with experts to reassess the tolerance of planes to the ash cloud.
“The major barrier to resuming flight has been understanding tolerance levels of aircraft to ash,” the CAA said. “Manufacturers have now agreed increased tolerance levels in low ash density areas.”
The government and air traffic control bodies had come under increasing pressure over the ban, which left more than 150,000 Britons stranded abroad after the Easter holiday.