ASH DELAYS MORE EUROPEAN FLIGHTS

Ash from an Icelandic volcano is drifting across south-eastern France and northern Italy, bringing further disruption to European air travel.

The ash caused disruption in Spain on Saturday, with 19 airports closed.

Another, higher level ash cloud is still hanging over the Atlantic, delaying flights between Europe and the US as jets divert around it.

The UK's Met Office said the ash cloud could disrupt UK airspace over the next few days.

Six Scottish airports have been closed until at least 1200 GMT on Sunday.

In Italy, airports at Milan, Pisa and Florence were closed until at least midday, the European air traffic agency Eurocontrol said.

French authorities said ash had forced the suspension of about 20 flights at Nice airport.

Spanish airspace was returning to normal on Sunday, with the last three of 19 airports closed on Saturday due to reopen at midday – Santiago de Compostela, Vigo and La Coruna.

In Portugal, all flights to the northern city of Porto were suspended until 1200 GMT on Sunday, airport officials said.

Eurocontrol's latest map on Sunday showed two areas of concentrated ash over northern Italy and south-eastern France.

Aircraft reported an ash cloud near the Pyrenees at about 35,000ft on Saturday, the UK's Met Office said.

Last month, ash from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano shut down airspace across Europe for five days.

Recent images have shown activity in the volcano increasing.