Airports back to normal after volcano ash chaos

Almost a full service was resumed at Birmingham Airport today after more than a week of travel chaos caused by the volcanic ash cloud.

Eight flights by budget airline Flybe between Birmingham and Belfast, Edinburgh, Frankfurt and Glasgow were cancelled due to "logistical challenges" while one Ryanair flight to Dublin was also cancelled.

Just a handful of other departures and arrivals were showing minor delays, including a departure to Palma and five arrivals from Copenhagen, Paris, Frankfurt, Cancun, Ashkhabad and Dubai.

Ryanair flights between the UK and Ireland resumed nearly a full service today, while additional flights were operating between Birmingham and Malaga and Tenerife by the airline today.

Birmingham International Airport spokeswoman Justin Hunt said flights should be completely caught up by the end of today but people were still encouraged to check with their airline or tour operator or check on the airport website.

Meanwhile, relieved holidaymakers left stranded by the Icelandic ash cloud were due to finally set foot back in Britain today after being rescued by a luxury cruise ship.

Around 2,200 people were expected to dock in Southampton refreshed by the 30-hour trip aboard the £500 million Celebrity Eclipse. The tourists — many of whom had been stranded for up to seven days — embarked in Bilbao, northern Spain, yesterday.

The RAF was also hoping to resume Typhoon training flights after deposits of volcanic ash in engines sparked a fresh scare over British air safety.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said the RAF's "precautionary measure" to temporarily suspend use of the Eurofighters would not ground passenger flights.

The discovery of ash in engines during post-flight inspections led to checks of all the £69 million jets based at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire. But the CAA stressed that military plane engines were very different from those of civilian aircraft.

Staffordshire theme park Alton Towers was today offering half-price admission to the theme park for people who lost out on flights during the volcanic ash cloud crisis.

Park owners Merlin Entertainments, will allow anyone who can produce a valid unused flight ticket along with a passport or ID, half-price entry for up

to two weeks after the flight was cancelled.

The mystery of why a white dusting of ash fell in Kingswinford has been solved.

The ash, originally thought to be fall-out from the volcano, was caused by a suspected arson attack on a conifer bush late on Wednesday evening.

Windermere Drive resident Faye Dalloway said: "The ash was a result of bushes set on fire."

West Midlands Fire Service confirmed today one crew from Brierley Hill Fire Station attended.