Europe moves to end deadlock,reopen skies as ash settles

Aviation authorities would carve airspace above the continent into three zones one closest to the volcano that would completely restrict air traffic,another zone that would set up partial restrictions on flights,and a third zone,free of ash,where flights could resume completely.

It was unclear precisely what portions of the continents airspace would be reopened when the agreement takes effect at 8 am on Tuesday,but EUs Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas called the deal good news for Europes stranded passengers.

Even before European officials made their announcement,several countries said they would be easing or lifting flight bans as the volcanic eruptions weakened,spewing less ash.

The International Air Transport Association,an airline industry group,criticised what it called a lack of leadership by European governments faced with an aviation shutdown on an unparalleled continental scale.

As the criticism intensified,European transportation ministers held an emergency meeting on Monday in Madrid,but some ministers were able to participate only by videoconferencing as they were grounded at home.

Officials in Iceland said the plume was now hovering at less than two miles high,about one-third of its height over the weekend,and British authorities said the volcano was not currently emitting ash to altitudes that will affect Britain.

German carrier Lufthansa said that it had received permission from Germanys civil aviation authority to fly 50 aircraft into Germany carrying around 15,000 stranded passengers from North and South America,Asia and Africa. Lufthansa has also been allowed to make a very small number of flights from Germany to the US and destinations within Europe starting at 6 pm on Monday,said Amelie Schwierholz,an airline spokeswoman. The planes will fly through specific corridors at lower elevations of 10,000 to 23,000 feet,she said.

The airport at St Johns,Newfoundland,became the first in North America to be affected by the volcanic ash plume . Flights were delayed or canceled to the airport near Canadas easternmost tip late on Sunday after officials anticipated that some of the ash may be drifting toward it. An airport spokesperson told the CBS that Canadas Transportation Department and its air navigation system estimated there was a 30 per cent chance of the ash reaching St Johns airspace.

Most of Asias largest carriers continued to cancel their flights into Europe,adding to the financial cost of the chaos,which one industry group estimated at $2 billion and climbing.

We are far enough into this crisis to express our dissatisfaction on how governments have managed it,with no risk assessment,no consultation and no leadership, said Giovanni Bisignani,director general and chief executive of the IATA. This crisis is costing airlines at least $200 million a day in lost revenues and the European economy has already suffered billions of dollars in lost business.

Several European airlines were already considering emergency layoffs.

While Europe has been able to remove borders on the ground,Bisignani added,we havent been able to take away the borders in the sky.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said that British authorities would deploy two Royal Navy vessels,including the Ark Royal aircraft carrier,to help bring Britons home.