This is getting crazy now. I've never know anything like it. There have been no flights in or out of the UK since Thursday. Hoping the Ash cloud clears soon, so things can get back to normal. Here's the full story http://news.sky.com

Restrictions on flights in and out of the UK have been extended until at least 7am tomorrow, although the situation appears to be improving in Europe.
The European Union says it expects half of its airspace will be clear of the volcano ash from Iceland on Monday.

It comes after grounded European airlines called on aviation authorities for an "immediate reassessment" of the situation.
The airlines said the safety measures which grounded traffic for a fourth straight day, stranding millions of travellers, were having a "devastating impact" on the industry.
But in the UK the National Air Traffic Service said the ash cloud was continuing to cover the country.
Its ban on flights had initially been extended until 1am on Monday but was put back even further after talks with the Met Office.
Nats said: "Conditions around the movement of the layers of the volcanic ash cloud over the UK remain dynamic.

Sky Man Reports From Mount Eyjafjallajokull
"We are maintaining close dialogue with the Met Office and with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). We are currently awaiting CAA guidance."

Nats added: "We are working closely with Government, airports and airlines, and airframe and aero engine manufacturers to get a better understanding of the effects of the ash cloud and to seek solutions."

Nats said it would continue to monitor the situation and a further announcement about flights would be around 9pm today.

As pressure for action grows, Gordon Brown has held a meeting of Cabinet ministers to discuss the crisis, which is costing airlines an estimated £200m a day.
The Tories have urged the Government to use the Royal Navy and charter ships to bring him Brits stranded in Europe.

The further extension of the restrictions means the UK, with the exception of a very few services, has effectively been a "no-fly zone" since around mid-day last Thursday
Airport operator BAA has asked passengers not to travel to its airports until further notice and to keep in touch with their carriers.
Denmark, Sweden, Austria and the Czech Republic all said on Sunday their airspaces would remain closed into Monday. In total, 23 European countries have shut airports.
Volcanologists have warned the eruptions from Mount Eyjafjallajokull could continue for months with activity possibly intensifying this week, probably on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Ryanairr says it is cancelling all scheduled flights to and from the UK, Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Belgium, Holland, France, Germany, Poland and the Baltic States until 1pm UK time on Wednesday.

Flight Ban: Latest Travel Information
Ryanair flights from Spain, the Canary and Balearic islands, the south of Italy including Pisa, Rome, Sardinia and Sicily, Malta and North Africa will continue to operate just domestic and southbound routes.
EasyJet announced overnight it was cancelling flights to and from northern Europe today. It said a limited number of flights would continue to operate in southern Europe.
British Airways said it would cancel flights on Monday while bmi said there would be no departures from Heathrow tomorrow.
Thomson and Virgin have cancelled the majority of their flights until Monday.
Anyone concerned about the well-being of relatives abroad can ring a Foreign and Commonwealth Office helpline on 020 7008 0000.
The worst case scenario is that warm ash will melt the glacier covering the second, bigger, and potentially more dangerous volcano which is highly likely to cause that one to erupt as well.
Transport Secretary Lord Adonis said: "Stranded passengers with return tickets on EU airlines have rights of assistance, including food and accommodation, and should contact their airline directly. "British embassies and consulates around the world are providing consular assistance to those that need it."
Sky's Robert Nisbet, in Iceland, said an Atlantic storm may disperse the ash at the end of the week, but there are fears that a second nearby volcano may erupt.
"1821 was the last time there was a major eruption at this glacier and it lasted two years, he said. "What stopped it was the pressure moving along the pipe, so to speak, to a nearby volcano, and there are real fears that if that happens 200 years later there could be severe consequences."
The disruption to flights has led to a huge increase in travellers using trains and cross-Channel ferries. Lord Adonis said test flights would be carried out in the UK today to assess the extent of the ash cover.
British Airways said it was staging a test flight from Heathrow Airport this evening with chief executive Willie Walsh on board.
Dutch and German airlines carried out test flights over Europe on Saturday and said their planes appeared to be undamaged by the ash.

Lol. I was just about to post something about this, because I couldn't believe no-one had mentioned it yet! It's crazy, and I've never known anything like it in my lifetime.

A summary:

Airspace closed:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, UK

Partial closures:
Italy (northern airspace closed until Monday)
Norway (limited flights in north)
Spain (northern airports closed)





Scottish airspace was briefly open on Saturday morning, and a couple of Heathrow bound flights from America managed to land at Glasgow airport. But it was quickly closed again.

I'm certainly glad I'm not travelling anywhere in the next few weeks (although I fly out to San Francisco in a month), but I feel really bad for those who are not just missing holidays, but who are missing e.g. weddings, or kids who are missing important exams. I feel less bad for those who are getting extended holidays paid for by their airlines as a result of this!

One of my Bloop friends was supposed to be flying up to visit me (and meet up with another Blooper) this weekend too, and her flight got cancelled because of this. But we can meet up another time. The consequences are far worse for other people.

I read that one couple have flown out to Cuba for their wedding. they got there okay, but all their guests that were going out to the wedding haven't been able to make it. Really sad. :-(

a friend of mine was flying over to ireland to live. he's now living in a 5 star hotel for free in abu dhabi until the air space is open again.

Scotland and Northern Ireland will be open tomorrow morning apparently. Hooray!

well that's good news!

I forgot to tell you before-Chris's mom is stuck in Paris right now. She went on a trip for work about a week ago to London and then Paris. (Since she's a travel agent, she gets to see places and tours to recommend) and they just decided to give her another week with all the confusion. The extra week will be spent on a cruise down the Seine. Not a bad way to be stranded, anyhow! :-P

Scotland closed again this afternoon. :P I think the only flights that got out were to the Scottish islands, and perhaps Ireland.

Chris's mum's best chance of getting home before mid-May would be to get herself to southern Spain and fly from there!

totally nuts!!! Mother nature is a bitch!!!!! lol

i saw on the news earlier ANOTHER cloud is heading for the uk. bloody hell!

Is it bad that this really amuses me? I love natural disasters that don't injure anybody! ;D

I'm with you on this Acid Fairy; not only is this amusing, but it's sort of majestic looking! It only gives me a glimpse of God's glory and power.

This isn't God's glory! My best friend's cousin is currently critically ill in intensive care. She's in her 20s and could die in the next few weeks, and her teenage sister is stuck on a Spanish island and has been told it'll be May before she can get home. This is serious. This girl may miss the chance to say goodbye to her sister, should the worst happen. It's not funny, entertaining, or glorious, to some people it's devastating.

These are very sad circumstances; but I believe that there is always a reason for behind everything. Who knows my dear, maybe God will heal her sister! Maybe it is her will to go home to meet her maker (if this be what she believe and live for)! But nature and what he created will always fascinate me and show me just how beautiful, powerful and glorious HE IS!

(facepalm)

Why do you *always* do this?

Why do I always do what?

I'm confused lol.

Me too...

It's fine if you don't have any travel plans in the near future! I'm supposed to be going to San Francisco next month!

SICKNESS!!