Ryanair has announced it now has a dedicated Volcanic Ash Disruption team set up to handle refunds and claims from passengers in connection with the disruption caused by the ash cloud.

For more information go to www.ryanair.com/en/notices/gops/100518-ASH_REIMBURSE_INFO-GB

British Airways has announced its schedule for flights during the next period of strike action by cabin crew, 30 May and 4 June.

All flights to and from Gatwick and London City Airport are scheduled to operate.

The flight schedule at Heathrow has now been confirmed and passengers should check the status of their flights here: www.britishairways.com/rtad/travel/public/en_us

To book Gatwick meet and greet parking and Gatwick taxi transfers click on the links.

The second scheduled period of strike action by BA cabin crew started at midnight and is set to run until 28 May.

British Airways has confirmed that flights to and from Gatwick and London City airport will operate as normal.

The airline also expects to operate more than 60 percent of it long-haul flights to and from Heathrow and more than 50 percent of its short-haul flights.

Flights operated by subsidiary OpenSkies between Paris and New York and Paris and Washington will operate as normal, as will flights operated by British Airways franchise partners (Comair in South Africa and Sun Air in Scandinavia).

BA codeshare flights operated by other airlines will operate as normal.

Passengers should check the BA website for further information on the status of their flights here: www.britishairways.com/rtad/travel/public/en_us

There’s also a great article of BA passenger FAQs on the telegraph website here: www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/7297801/BA-strikes-consumer-QandA.html

To book Gatwick meet and greet and Gatwick taxi transfers click on the links.

British Airways has announced it plans to operate all flights to and from London City airport and London Gatwick during the next period of strike action – 24 – 29 May 2010 – and has confirmed its schedule of flights during the same period at London Heathrow.

To check the flight status of your BA flight click here

To book Gatwick meet and greet and Gatwick taxi transfers click on the links.

Flybe has confirmed it is the first airline in the UK to be able to fly within the new Time Limited Zone.

Under the new regulations the airline will be able to fly through denser volcanic ash than previously approved – 0.004 grams per cubic metre compared with 0.002 grams per cubic metre.

Commenting on the news Flybe’s Chief Executive, Jim French said: “The CAA called upon the industry to bring forward thoroughly researched proposals to safely improve the ability to fly in the vicinity of low level volcanic ash concentrations.

Flybe worked closely with the Met Office, Bombardier and Pratt & Whitney Canada to develop the proposals which have today been endorsed by the CAA. Flybe’s overriding concern is always safety, and these new rules arise from a proven process of safety management within the company and the industry which helps make air travel the safest form of public transport.

The application of these new rules in the last 48 hours would have reduced our levels of cancellation from 380 flights to 21, or put another way, only 3% of our programme would have been affected. This level of cancellation would be more akin to a weather event and therefore much more bearable for customers and the industry.”

For Manchester airport hotels or to compare and book Manchester airport parking using an online instant airport parking price checker click on the link.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has announced the introduction of a new Time Limited Zone (TLZ) which will allow flights to take place though denser ash cloud than previously permitted.

Following discussions with airlines, regulators, and aircraft and engine manufacturers the new Time Limited Zone, which effectively doubles the amount of permissible ash grammes per cubic metre of air, will reduce the need for airspace closures caused by volcanic ash.

New procedures and the introduction of the zone will take place from midday today, 18 May 2010.

To operate in the new zone airlines need to present the CAA with a safety case that includes the agreement of their aircraft and engine manufacturers. UK airline Flybe is the first to achieve this and will therefore be able to use the new zone from midday.

Announcing the change Andrew Haines, Civil Aviation Authority Chief Executive, said: “I’m pleased that the huge efforts we’re all making across aviation to keep flying safe whilst minimising the disruption from the volcano have resulted in further progress. Unprecedented situations require new measures and the challenge faced should not be underestimated. Firstly because the standard default procedure for aircraft that encounter ash, to avoid it completely, doesn’t work in our congested airspace. Secondly, the world’s top scientists tell us that we must not simply assume the effects of this volcano will be the same as others elsewhere. Its proximity to the UK, the length of time it is continuously erupting and the weather patterns are all exceptional features.

“The answer can only come, therefore, from aircraft and engine manufacturers establishing what level of ash their products can safely tolerate. At an international aviation conference we held last Thursday, attended by all the leading airline operators this approach was welcomed and supported. The manufacturers are co-operating fully and urgently in this task and the new zone is an excellent example of how the industry should be working to move the issue forward and I commend Flybe for its work.”

The introduction of the Time Limited Zone is based on measurements collected from test flights through the current ash cloud over the past month, as well as on data and evidence compiled and analysed from previous volcanic ash incidents combined with additional analysis from manufacturers.

British Airways has confirmed its schedule of operations during the planned strike action by cabin crew.

Between the 18 and 23 May, British Airways plans to operate all flights to and from Gatwick and London City airports.

The airline has also confirmed its schedule to and from Heathrow – for more information and to check the status of your flight click here.

To book Gatwick meet and greet and Gatwick taxi transfers click on the links.

Following the announcement of intended strike dates by BA cabin crew, British Airways has announced that, for the first strike period of 18 to 23 May, it plans to operate all flights to and from London City Airport and London Gatwick.

The airline intends to operate more than 60 per cent of longhaul flights and more than 50 percent of shorthaul flights.

BA has now confirmed longhaul flights from London Heathrow and will confirm its shorthaul schedule on Friday 14 May.

For more information and to check the status of your flight go to www.britishairways.com/travel/strike-ballot-1/public/en_gb

To book Gatwick meet and greet and Gatwick taxi transfers click on the links.

Another 20 days of strike action has been announced by Unite, the trade union representing British Airways cabin crew.

The latest proposed strike action will take place on the following days: May 18-22 inclusive, May 24-28 inclusive, May 30-June 3 inclusive and June 5-9 inclusive.

Due to a volcanic ash cloud, NATS has advised that a no-fly zone is in place in the West of Scotland, some airports in the Western Isles, and Northern Ireland until at least 13:00.

The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) has also imposed restrictions on all flights operating into and out of Ireland until 13.00 on Tuesday 4th May.