— The eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano this week is the second in a month in Iceland.

— The smoke plume is said to stretch 11 kilometres into the sky and is at least 1,000 kilometres from Britain, where it caused the closure of airports at noon yesterday.

— Britain's airspace is not expected to open again until 7 a.m. today.

— Airspace was closed or flights were cancelled in the Republic of Ireland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and France.

— The height of the smoke plume means while it disrupts air traffic it is of little or no consequence to public health.

— According to weather and climate experts at the UK's Met Office, the high pressure condition over the area is also helping retain the ash cloud in the high levels of the atmosphere ensuring little chance of it reaching the ground.

— Volcanic ash can reduce visibility and potentially clog engines of aircraft.