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The airline crisis was deepening today as air traffic controllers extended the ban on UK flights until at least 1pm tomorrow and the government warned the crisis caused by the volcano eruption in Iceland could last well into Tuesday.
One weather forecaster was predicting problems until Friday as airlines continued to revise their plans with the lockdown on flights continuing across much of northern Europe. Over 20 countries have airspace restrictions, many banning all non-emergency flights.
Comment: Air traffic controllers in individual European countries did not make these decisions. Eurocontrol, the central air traffic control center for Europe, made the call based on the forecasts provided by the Volcanic Ash Centre in London.
Gordon Brown today sought to assure stranded passengers that British airspace would be reopened "as quickly as possible" and warned against rail, coach or ferry operators trying to exploit passengers desperate to find alternative methods of travel. He also said he would be seeking EU funds to help companies stricken by the disruption.
The crisis is also expected to mean that many pupils and teachers will not be back at school from holiday tomorrow. British Airways has cancelled all flights in and out of London tomorrow. Thomson also cancelled all outbound flights today and tomorrow.
The National Air Traffic Control Service (Nats) said: "There may be limited opportunity in Orkney and Shetland from 19.00 (local time) today for some flights to operate under individual co-ordination with ATC. However, it is most unlikely that many flights will operate today and anyone hoping to travel should contact their airline before travelling to the airport."
The transport secretary, Lord Adonis, said: "I am in constant contact with both the Met Office and Nats. They are continuing to work with airlines to ensure they are ready to fully exploit any respite in conditions which could allow some flights to operate.
"Further test flights will take place today in the UK to help understand the extent of the impact of the ash cloud. I wish to establish, as a matter of urgency, whether some safe flight paths can be identified and opened up to flights within the area affected by ash.
Adonis added: "Key transport providers have laid on extra services ‑ both East Coast and Virgin Trains are running extra rail services between London and Scotland while Eurostar, Eurotunnel, cross-channel ferry operators and international coach operators are all also carrying many more passengers than usual.
Adonis also said that stranded passengers with return tickets on EU airlines had rights of assistance, including food and accommodation, and should contact their airline directly.
He said: "British embassies and consulates around the world are providing consular assistance to those that need it, visiting airports and working with the local authorities to help stranded UK citizens."
Gordon Brown told the Andrew Marr show on BBC1: "We want the minimum amount of disruption; we want to open up airspace as quickly as possible. We have to work with the rest of the EU to do it because everyone's facing this similar challenge.
"I hope if it comes to finance for companies that are affected by this, we can get EU support from their solidarity fund. I think we've learnt a lot about what volcanic ash and the effect of it can be. These volcanic clouds can be in the sky for some time."
He added: "I'd be shocked if out of this difficulty that's happened, because of the circumstances of the volcano in Iceland, people try to make extra profits out of it. By running more services and by getting more ferries on, it does mean that the temptation of people trying to sell on tickets or exploit the fact that there are very limited number of seats is less so."
The Foreign Office said it was "working closely with the travel industry and Whitehall partners to ensure that British nationals are given accurate and up-to-date advice" and was "co-ordinating closely with EU partners, many of whom have also been affected".
Forecasters warned that there was still no sign of a change in wind direction that might clear the cloud, and volcanologists said eruptions from Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull volcano could go on for months.
The cloud has prevented world leaders such as President Barack Obama attending today's funeral of Poland's late president, Lech Kaczynski.
Graeme Leitch of the Met Office said a change in the wind direction might mean flight restrictions could be lifted but there was no indication that any such change was imminent.
Forecaster Paul Knightley of MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, predicted the continued volcanic activity could herald "quite a prolonged spell of problems" in the UK, continuing until Friday.
What could be the reason for not having air traffic over those regions?
Something very strange going on.
German airlines been doing test flights with empty planes and they too are seeing blue skies, no problems and yet flights are grounded.
WHY?