Icelandic Volcano Could Wind Up Costing Billions

Flights Cancelled Across Europe; Economic Impact Rippling Around the Globe
By RICH BLAKE and ALICE GOMSTYN
April 16, 2010

Iceland's volcanic eruption could cost airlines and other businesses around the world hundreds of millions of dollars, if not billions, because of cancelled or delayed flights and lost business, according to experts.

"The costs are going to be enormous, at least into the hundreds of millions of dollars, especially if the eruption drags out over months," said Gregg Gallina, a satellite meteorologist at the Volcanic Ash Advisory Center in Washington, D.C. "This type of volcanic ash disruption in the heart of the transatlantic flight lanes is unprecedented." The D.C.-based VACC is one of nine such centers around the world tasked with issuing volcanic ash cloud warnings that are specifically aimed at preventing airplanes from experiencing potentially catastrophic failures as a result of ash particles clogging up engines. the rest

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