It's not taken long for somebody to catch on to the idea of scamming hundreds and thousands of 'ash-affected' passengers. A new scam, doing the rounds via email claims to be the Civil Aviation Authority who are supposedly prepared to cough up compensation.

How the scam works:

If you are one of the selected victims, you will receive an email in your inbox, which claims to be from a person called "Frank Adam," the supposed chief consumer protection officer at the CAA. The email itself states that you have been chosen to receive the email because the CAA has been notified that you are a passenger who has lost out or been affected by the latest ash crisis.

The email then proceeds to ask for your name, address, phone number and passport number. Upon sending these you will then receive a further email from the fraudsters, asking you to send, via cheque or wire transfer, an administration fee so that the Civil Aviation Authority can process your compensation claim of up to £2000.

It goes without saying, you will never receive this cheque. If you do it will be a fake cheque or will bounce once cashed.

If you have been or are a victim of this hoax, please contact Consumer Direct to report it immediately. The CAA has today confirmed that it has not sent out any such emails.

AshLatest.co.uk would like to remind people that the only organisation that has the legal right to ask for personal information without you contacting them first are legal bodies, these include the police.

The most recent reports just issued from Iceland indicate that there has been no significant let-up in the volcano.

Eyjafjallajokull is continuing to erupt up to a height of 23,000ft and lightning in and around the plume has been detected. The latest plume of ash from the eruption is drifting slowly eastwards/north-eastwards, but the residual ash which affected UK airspace over the weekend is still drifting over the North Sea.

Latest Met Office and VAAC charts show the ash cloud drifting away from UK airspace slowly over the next 24 hours:

Click on the image to view a larger preview:

After 24 hours of no flight restrictions, airlines are reporting getting back to normal, slowly.

Airlines are today reporting that most flights are still leaving on time and almost all of the cancelled flights have now been rescheduled for either today or tomorrow, however they are still advising you contact them or view their website before you set-off to avoid disappointment.

Visit our airline page to get direct links to their 'updates' page.

Fresh Concerns:

Meanwhile, the latest of the Met Office 5 day forecasts, for Saturday shows yet another 'plume' of high density ash coming from the volcano, southward. It is not yet known if this 'fresh cloud' will affect the UK but experts are monitoring the situation closely. AshLatest.co.uk will keep you up-to-date with any further developments.

Click on the image to view a larger preview:

So after a long weekend of travel disruption due to volcanic ash over the UK once again, the ban has been completely lifted. For now.

After further delayed flights and more money lost by the airlines, the Civil Aviation Authority alongside engine manufacturers have put a new 'time limited zone' into place. From around 1200 noon on tomorrow (Tuesday), the new guidelines will allow commercial aircraft to fly within areas of higher ash concentration than previously, for a limited time period.

Here's a selection of what the airline bosses have had to say over the past few days:

British Airways - Willie Walsh said “...a gross over-reaction to a very minor risk."

Ryanair - Michael O'Leary said "The fact that Heathrow and Gatwick airports have reopened this morning, despite the fact that the VAAC charts shows this imaginary black plume (or no-fly zone) directly over these major London airports shows that the VAAC charts have no credibility. There cannot be one safety model for busy London airports and a different safety model for smaller regional airports,"

Virgin Atlantic - Sir Richard Branson said "Completely excessive, the Volcanic Ash Advisory Committee are not the experts, the experts are the airline industry, engine manufacturers and the airlines themselves who can be quite responsible in making sure we fly our passengers safely from A to B. We would like the responsibility to be taken back within the industry and not to have quango people making these decisions."

Thomson Airways - Chris Browne said "If the ash clouds are to continue, current modeling needs to become more accurate and there needs to be greater clarity for the industry on operational parameters.

"It is vital that we understand the tolerance levels for aircraft and engines in particular, but also gain a better knowledge of the predictability of the ash clouds.

"We are currently leading working parties between the CAA and other industry partners, with the remit of understanding how we can all share knowledge and co-ordinate more accurate forecasting.

“Safety is and will always remain our number one priority."

British Airways has this evening won a High Court injunction to stop the latest bout of strikes organised by the union 'Unite.'

This means that the strike due to start from midnight tonight (Monday) will not now go ahead. This comes as British Airways tries to clear the backlog caused by the latest 'Ash Crisis.'

More updates to follow...

NATS has now cleared UK airspace until at least 0100 tomorrow (Tuesday) when another announcement is likely to be made.

The Civil Aviation Authority and NATS combined have now set-up a third type of restriction zone, the 'Time Limited Zone' in medium density areas. This hopefully will decrease the disruption to a further extent, should the cloud drift back towards UK airspace over the coming months.

Below is the latest NATS statement:

"NATS is delighted that restrictions on UK airspace can today be eased, thanks to new measures from the Civil Aviation Authority.

Aircraft can now safely fly through ‘medium density’ ash following the introduction of a new zone that defines the concentration of the ash cloud.

“NATS has been at the heart of this ground-breaking proposal and our people have worked very closely with the Irish Aviation Authority, CAA and the rest of the industry to make it happen,” said NATS Chief Executive Officer, Richard Deakin.

“Every leading player in aviation has been helping to build vast amounts of data about the effects of volcanic ash over the last month. There is mounting evidence that aircraft can fly safely through areas of medium density, provided some additional precautions are taken. This is now what has been agreed.”

Richard added that teams at NATS had been working all hours to create new and enhanced procedures to make sure the changes can take place as safely and as effectively as possible. 

Previously, the CAA has dealt with the ash cloud by applying No-Fly Zones (NFZ) in areas of greatest ash density, and Enhanced Procedures Zones (EPZ) in areas of low density, which were introduced during the six-day crisis last month. 

Today’s breakthrough means a third Time Limited Zone (TLZ) is now being introduced for areas of medium ash density.  

As a result of this change, there are no predicted restrictions on UK airspace in the immediate future. If that picture changes, NATS will update its website as necessary. 

More updates to follow...

The Civil Aviation Authority is set to re-asses the current ash situation at 1900 today (Monday) which could mean some airports across Scotland are once again restricted.

Below is the latest NATS statement:

"The CAA has lifted the no-fly zone that has been affecting flights at Heathrow and Gatwick until 1900 (local time) today. The decision comes following further information from the Met Office about the density and location of the ash cloud. There are no restrictions at airports in Northern Ireland, England or Wales during this period.

From 1300-1900 the no-fly zone remains in place only in the Orkney and Shetland Islands."

Probability over the coming week:
Air traffic control units are issued with long-range forecasts for the next 7 days, below is the probability of flow from Iceland for the next 7 days:

Tuesday 18th May 2010 - Less than 20%
Wednesday 19th May 2010 - Less than 20%
Thursday 20th May 2010 - Less than 20%
Friday 21st May 2010 - Less than 20%
Saturday 22nd May 2010 - 40%
Sunday 23rd May 2010 - 40%
Monday 24th May 2010 - 40%
Tuesday 25th May 2010 - 30%

More updates to follow...

All UK airports are advising passengers travelling over the next few days to contact their airlines directly to check if their flight is set to go ahead.

London Gatwick Airport says "All restrictions to flights in and out of Gatwick Airport have been lifted. However, we expect there to be knock-on delays and cancellations for the rest of today.

Please contact your airline for the latest flight information before departing for the airport."

More updates to follow...

Belfast City, Belfast International, Glasgow and Edinburgh International airport's are all set to re-open from 1300 today.

169 Cancellations at London Heathrow International Airport so far today.
88 Cancellations at London Gatwick International Airport.

More updates to follow...

Restrictions across the UK are slowly being lifted today. However, holiday makers have been warned it will take a number of days, once again, to clear the back-log created by cancelled flights, by which time the ash cloud may be affecting UK airspace again. Stay with us to receive all the latest information regarding air travel.

Below is the latest statement from the National Air Traffic Service regarding UK Airspace closures:

The CAA has lifted the no-fly zone that has been affecting flights at Heathrow and Gatwick this morning. The decision comes following further information from the Met Office about the nature and location of the ash cloud.

The no-fly zone remains in place in two key areas affecting operations in Northern Ireland and the Shetland Isles. Airports falling within the No Fly Zones include: Belfast City, Londonderry, Shetland and Orkney. All other airports are open.

More updates to follow...

Volcanic ash is still causing disruptions around the UK today. More airports closed over-night but are now re-open. Wales is still closed along with Ireland. Limited services are operating out of Gatwick and Heathrow. Experts are warning this may change throughout the day however the wind predictions say that the ash will gradually move away from UK airspace by tomorrow (Tuesday).

Below is the latest statement from the National Air Traffic Service regarding UK Airspace closures:

The high density ash cloud continues to move further south in the early hours of tomorrow morning.

The volcanic ash cloud continues to change shape and two key areas affect operations stretching from the South of England to Northern Ireland, and over much of mainland Scotland to the Shetland Isles.  As a result, no-fly zones have been imposed by the CAA in these areas, for the period 0700 local until 1300 local today (Monday).

Airports within the no-fly zones include all those in Northern Ireland, Ronaldsway, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Inverness and Northern Scotland. Cardiff, Swansea, Bristol and Farnborough are also in the no-fly zone.

Heathrow and Gatwick airports will be clear of the no-fly zone however restrictions will have to be applied due to their close proximity to the no-fly zone particularly affecting Gatwick inbounds.

Information on airports in southern Ireland can be obtained from the Irish Aviation Authority website (www.iaa.ie).

We are working closely with the Met Office and with the CAA, which agrees no-fly zones based on Met Office data, and will issue any further notice on this website as necessary.

More updates to follow...

Below is the latest statement from the National Air Traffic Service regarding UK Airspace closures:

The high density ash cloud continues to move further south in the early hours of tomorrow morning.

For the period 0100 (local time) until 0700 tomorrow (Monday), airports inside the no-fly zone as imposed by the CAA, include; London Heathrow, Gatwick, Farnborough, London City, Shoreham, Biggin Hill, all airfields in Northern Ireland, Scottish Western Isles, Oban, Campbeltown, Caernarfon and Aberdeen. Cardiff remains open but operations may be limited due to close proximity of the no-fly zone.

Information on airports in southern Ireland can be obtained from the Irish Aviation Authority website (www.iaa.ie).

We are working closely with the Met Office and with the CAA, which agrees no-fly zones based on Met Office data, and will issue any further notice on this website as necessary.

More updates to follow...

A quick round-up from today:

• Over 200 Flights cancelled
• 14 Airports completely closed
• England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland and the Isle of Man all affected
• London airports remain open this evening

Reports suggest that Thomson are cancelling all flights until 12noon tomorrow (Monday), more to follow on that...

More updates to follow...

So, as NATS have stated, large parts of UK airspace is once again closed over-night until at least 0100 Monday morning.
We have now updated the airport closures list. At present experts are warning that airspace could be forced to close for a number of days once again, causing huge disruption. More updates to follow..

Below is the latest statement from the National Air Traffic Service regarding UK Airspace closures:

For the period 1900 today (local time) until 0100 tomorrow (Monday) London’s main airports will still be clear of the no-fly zone imposed by the CAA due to the high density volcanic ash cloud.

The ash cloud continues to change shape and move further south to just north of Oxford during this period.  This brings Birmingham and Norwich inside the no-fly zone in addition to those airports already affected.  The northerly extent of the no-fly zone in England now includes Teesside, stopping just short of Newcastle, and tracking northwest in a line just north of Carlisle, which remains in the no-fly zone.  

Airports inside the no-fly zone in England and Wales now include Carlisle, Teesside, Humberside, Leeds Bradford, Blackpool, Ronaldsway, Caernarfon, Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, Doncaster, Norwich, Birmingham and East Midlands.

In Scotland the no-fly zone includes the Western Isles, Campbeltown, Prestwick and Oban.  All airports in Northern Ireland remain inside the no-fly zone during this period.

There are currently no other restrictions within UK airspace. Information on airports in southern Ireland can be obtained from the Irish Aviation Authority website (www.iaa.ie).

We are working closely with the Met Office and with the CAA, which agrees no-fly zones based on Met Office data, and will issue any further notice on this website as necessary.