Airline officials have hit out at the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) as volcanic ash from Iceland once again grounds aeroplanes across the UK and Ireland.

Virgin Atlantic president Sir Richard Branson said the closure of Manchester Airport on Sunday was beyond a joke and that test flights had shown no evidence that airlines could not continue to fly safely.

The UK’s National Air Traffic Service (NATS) has grounded all flights between 7am and 1pm GMT across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

London Heathrow and Gatwick have reopened following closures late on Sunday, but passengers have been warned to expect delays and cancellations.

This decision is likely to once again cost airlines heavily after the International Air Transport Association claimed that airlines had lost £1.1bn ($1.7bn) due to disruption caused by the ash cloud in April.

According to the UK’s Metrological Office and Dutch television, the ash cloud seems to be dispersing over the UK and heading for the Netherlands, prompting the closure of Amsterdam and Rotterdam Airports.

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