NASA satellite capture of the ash cloud south of Iceland on Monday, April 19, 2010. Credit: NASA's MODIS Rapid Response Team

Update: 1530: The Irish Aviation Authority has issued the following information:

Ryanair flight updates

Aer Lingus flight updates

The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) said at 0100 hours Tuesday morning that a renewed eruption of the Icelandic volcano yesterday afternoon and the prevailing weather conditions have dashed plans to remove the restrictions in Irish Airspace today. Ireland will remain a no-fly zone until at least 1300 hours.

The latest Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre reports show Ireland at the centre of a contamination zone up to 1300 hours today. The IAA said notwithstanding the new arrangements agreed by the Ministers for Transport yesterday which provide for the easing of restrictions depending on the degree of ash contamination, the renewed eruption means that the density of volcanic ash over Irish Airspace is such that restrictions will have to continue until 1300 hours today at least.

"There will be no commercial flights departing Ireland prior to 1300 hours. An update will be provided mid morning but the restrictions may well be continued to a later time," the IAA said.

Eurocontrol, the EU's Brussels-based air agency, said on Monday it would permit the "the progressive and coordinated opening of European airspace" and announced that airspace would be divided into three zones.

The first zone will comprise areas where volcanic ash emissions are heaviest and in which full restrictions on operations will be maintained. The second zone will include areas where some ash may be present but generally not enough to affect aircraft systems or around which aircraft can fly. Partial flight restrictions will be maintained in this zone, which will "need to be confirmed [with] decisions about the operations. . .taken in a coordinated manner by the authorities of the member states," Eurocontrol said.

The third zone will include areas not affected by the ash, in which flights will be allowed to operate without restriction. Airspace over Portugal, Spain, parts of Italy and France, the Balkan area, Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, Norway and part of Sweden was open to civil traffic Monday. Eurocontrol expected approximately 30% of total scheduled flights to take place in Europe yesterday, up from 20.1% Sunday.

Eurocontrol map of the main affected areas of European airspace.

The agency said that approximately 8,700 flights have taken place today in European airspace.

It said at 1830 CET Monday that air traffic control services was not being provided to civil aircraft in the major part of European airspace. This included Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, northern Italy, Romania, Slovenia, Switzerland, parts of Ukraine and the UK. In some of these areas the upper airspace has been made available, depending on the observed and forecasted area of possible ash contamination. However, it said it is difficult to access this airspace as in most cases the surrounding area is not available for flights.

Flights are taking place in southern and central Europe, including the Czech Republic, the Balkan area, Bulgaria, Hungary, southern Italy and France, Greece, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, and Turkey, as well as parts of northern Europe (Norway and parts of Sweden).

Approximately 600 trans-Atlantic flights take place each day, 300 in each direction. Of the 300 flights that would usually arrive in Europe, 219 flights have arrived in Europe today, and 233 have left Europe.

EU transport commissioner Siim Kallas said there are three key principles the Commission is basing its decisions on:

1. there can be no compromise on safety;

2. the work must be based on scientific evidence;

3. we must facilitate coordinated European solutions if we are to find a way forwards.

He said "I want to remind passengers that, even in extraordinary circumstances, they have some of the strongest air passenger rights in the world.

• The right to either reimbursement or re-routing — also by different modes;

• The right to information — to be informed about their rights and the situation as it evolves;

• The right to care — that means food, drink, and accommodation as appropriate.

In other words, despite these exceptional circumstances, air passengers are entitled to all their usual rights, except the additional financial compensation that would apply in more normal circumstances."

EU ministers of transport held a video conference on Monday to discuss the situation.

An ash plume from Iceland's Eyjafjallajškull Volcano is seen over Europe in this NASA satellite image from April 16, 2010. The eruption sent a plume of ash and steam across the North Atlantic forcing the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, and Scandinavia to close airspace over their countries. Credit: NASA's MODIS Rapid Response Team

In related news, European Commission President Barroso on Monday decided to set up an ad-hoc group to assess the impact of the situation created by the volcanic ash cloud on the air travel industry and the economy in general. The president said he wishes to ensure that the EU has the right analysis to be able to respond appropriately, if needed, and that any measures taken across the EU to respond to economic consequences of this situation are properly coordinated.

President Barroso has asked Vice-President Kallas, responsible for Transport, to lead this work, assisted by Vice-President Almunia (Competition and State Aids) and Commissioner Rehn (Economic and Monetary Affairs).

He has also asked Vice-President Kallas to liaise closely with the Spanish Transport Council Presidency with a view to the appropriate contacts between the Member States and in particular the consideration of an extraordinary Transport Council meeting or video conference.

Barrosso said the Commission will continue to liaise with Eurocontrol and the competent national authorities on the development in the airspace and decisions on flight suspensions, which are the competence of the national authorities.

Barroso commented: “The volcanic ash cloud has created an unprecedented situation. I have asked Vice-President Kallas to coordinate the Commission’s response and fully assess the impact of the situation created by volcanic ash cloud on the economy, and the air travel industry in particular. It is important that all measures to be considered are coordinated at the European level.”