The ash cloud from an erupting Icelandic volcano forced the cancellation Wednesday of flights in both Germany and Sweden. Germany's largest carrier Lufthansa anticipated around 150 flight cancellations on Wednesday, affecting Hamburg, Bremen and Berlin airports as well as northbound flights from Stuttgart, a spokesman said. The airline operates around 2,000 flights daily. The Brussels-based association of European air traffic controllers, Eurocontrol, said the drifting ash cloud was to affect Berlin from 11 am (0900 GMT), and could also affect parts of Poland. Projections from the Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC) in London showed areas of ash concentration over northern Germany, but the ash cloud was expected to dissipate during the day. In Sweden some 20 flights were cancelled at Landvetter airport, the main airport in western Sweden, partly over cancellations of inbound flights. Air traffic was expected to resume at midday. The Grimsvotn volcano's activity decreased overnight but the eruption has not ceased, Vodar Sveinsson of the Icelandic Meteorological Office was quoted as saying by the German Press Agency "DPA". When it erupted Saturday, Iceland's most active volcano created a plume about 20 kilometres high. By Monday it was between 8 to 10 kilometres and had decreased on Tuesday to 3 to 5 kilometres. On Tuesday the ash cloud resulted in the cancellation of some 500 flights in Europe, mainly in British airspace. The main airports in Norway and Denmark were operating normally Wednesday since the ash concentration in the air, which determines if carriers can fly or not, was low.
