The eruption of a volcano in Iceland may cause disruption for airline passengers in the UK throughout today and into tomorrow. The concern is that prevailing weather conditions will bring the ash plume which has been created by the eruption down through Scotland, making flying conditions hazardous for aircraft.

Aberdeen airport was closed at midnight as a precautionary measure and other Scottish airports are monitoring the situation. Aberdeen said that it was told to close by air traffic control because of the volcanic ash threat.

The ash consists of rock and glass and is hazardous to aircraft mechanics as well as pilot visibility. In 1982, a British Airways jet flying over Indonesia encountered an ash plume which had come from an eruption at Galunggun. All four engines on the Boeing 747 jammed as a result and the aircraft dropped 24,000 feet before the situation could be rectified.

Volcanic ash is also highly toxic and there is a danger that it could contaminate the air supply in an aircraft’s cabin. Because it is such a potential threat to aviation safety there is an early warning system in place called the International Airways Volcano Watch and Iceland is considered one of the counties that should be closely monitored.

Airlines such as easyJet are advising their customers that there could be flight delays over the next 24-hours or so and have said that before setting out for the airport travellers should confirm the situation with the airline. Weather forecasters warn that it could take a few days for the ash cloud to disperse.