Europe scales down response to ash cloud

Parts of Europe will be re-opened for flights on Tuesday as ministers agreed to narrow down the no-fly zones around the Icelandic ash cloud, amid mounting pressure from airlines and experts saying the complete closure was exaggerated.

After a four-hour long conference call on Monday (19 April), the 27 transport ministers agreed to carve out three safety zones and ban planes from flying only through the cloud itself and with specific restrictions in a buffer-zone around the ash plume. T...