Volcanic ash grounds flights across Europe

Parliament president forced to cancel visit to Vatican as airports in several countries shut down.

Ash from a volcanic eruption in Iceland has caused travel chaos across Europe today (15 April) and grounded a planned trip by European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek to meet Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican.

Buzek’s office said the visit was scrapped “due to the unexpected closure of European airports caused by the exceptional atmospheric conditions following the eruption of the Icelandic volcano”.

The ash clouds led the closure of airports in the UK, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and Finland. There was also concern that a meeting of EU finance ministers planned for Madrid on Friday-Saturday might have to be cancelled.

Siim Kallas, the European commissioner for transport, said the ash clouds posed “a very significant threat to air safety,” but reminded airlines not to ignore passenger rights to compensation.

The eruption caused mass flight cancellations, leaving thousands stranded. However, airlines are obliged under EU law to provide compensation to passengers.

“This is a situation that is causing immense difficulties for passengers travelling throughout Europe. It can be considered a very exceptional circumstance,” Kallas said. “Nevertheless, it is important to remind passengers and airlines that EU passenger rights do apply in this situation.”

Rome visit

Buzek’s trip to Rome included planned talks with Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican’s secretary of state.

The talks come at an uncomfortable time as the pope and senior Vatican officials struggle with a growing sex abuse scandal in the United States, Europe and elsewhere.

The Vatican’s problems were compounded this week when Bertone appeared to blame gays for the cause of the sexual abuse of minors in the church by priests and other clergy.

His comments were widely condemned by gay-rights groups and politicians across Europe.

Guy Verhofstadt, leader of the liberal ALDE group in the European Parliament, had called on Buzek to raise concerns about the comments during his meetings at the Vatican. He also called on EU member states and the European Commission to condemn the comments.

“I am asking EU leaders to condemn these declarations in the most unambiguous terms and to make representations to the Catholic Church leadership to make clear that such declarations are wrong and undermine our European values,” Verhofstadt said.