Volcanic Ash Disrupts International Flights; Economic Impact Expected

As volcanic ash from Iceland makes its way across Northern Europe, the British are likely to take the brunt of the impact in the form of flight, health and economic damage. The government agencies responsible for flight safety have already begun to shut down the air traffic in the area, and now health and safety agencies are stepping up their warnings about volcanic ash.

Flights were being stopped as the ash plume, from Iceland, made its way across Northern Europe, raising fears of aircraft damage. Volcanic ash, which is rock and glass, can damage aircraft in a number ways. The ash can dull fan blades in jet engines, obstruct fuel nozzles in the engine and clog air flow through the engine. The abrasive ash can also strip aircraft of paint and even block visibility on windows.

Health officials in the United Kingdom have also issued health advisories for the citizens, advising them to stay indoors as long as possible. Some of the health concerns with volcanic ash are eye irritation, sore throat, runny nose and an increase in asthma-related breathing problems. While ash is not thought to cause long term health problems, those who already have breathing difficulties are at an increased risk for complications.

What remains to be seen, though, is the economic effect that ash cloud will have on the United Kingdom. The British Airports Authority announced that they would be suspending all flights in U.K. airspace until 0100 British Standard Time Saturday, or 8 pm Eastern Standard Time. But the impact on Britons is still to be seen, but a rough comparison to March's BAA strike could draw some conclusions.

In March 2010, BAA employees went on strike for seven days. The strike did not affect every airport operated by the BAA, but the impact on their numbers was significant enough to erase any gain expected in air travel. The group admits that some airports, like London's Stansted, were already having problems when they posted a 4.2% drop, without any adverse effect from the strike. In the case of the ash plume, these numbers are likely to decline even more.Because the strike did not stop all flights from all airports in the U.K., it is expected that the flight cancellations in response to the volcanic ash plume will have a widespread downward effect on the busiest airspace in the world. As the world is in the midst of an economic recovery, the volcanic eruption could not have come at a more difficult time. Businesses around the world are waiting to hear positive news before they proceed with expansion projects and hiring increases, but it appears that they will have to wait just a bit longer for it.