Main French airports to close as volcanic ash cloud nears
April 15th, 2010 - 11:27 pm ICT by BNO News 
PARIS (BNO NEWS) — The main airports of France, including Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport, will shut down completely on Thursday evening as a cloud of volcanic ash from Iceland threatens planes.
France’s Civil Aviation authority said eight airports closed at 5 p.m. CET while 16 others will close at 11 p.m. CET.
The volcanic ash comes from the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland, which recently erupted. Volcanic ash can be dangerous for aircraft, causing damage, reducing visibility, and potentially clogging.
The following is a list of French airports which will close on Thursday. It remains unclear when they may re-open.
Closed at 5 p.m. CET:
* Calais - Dunkerque Airport
* Merville - Calonne Airport
* Le Touquet - Côte d’Opale Airport
* Dieppe - Saint-Aubin Airport
* Cherbourg – Maupertus Airport
* Amiens - Glisy Aerodrome
* Lille Airport
* Valenciennes - Denain Aerodrome
Closed after 11 p.m. CET:
* Brest Bretagne Airport
* Lannion – Côte de Granit Airport
* Deauville - Saint-Gatien Airport
* Morlaix - Ploujean Airport
* Quimper - Cornouaille Airport
* Rennes - Saint-Jacques Airport
* Caen - Carpiquet Airport
* Strasbourg Airport
* Vatry Airport
* Reims - Champagne Aerodrome
* Metz-Nancy-Lorraine Airport
* Beauvais - Tillé Airport
* Pontoise - Cormeilles Aerodrome
* Toussus-le-Noble Aerodrome
* Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport
* Paris - Le Bourget Airport
- French airport closes immediately due to volcanic ash - Apr 15, 2010
- Spain to close seven northern airports as ash drifts across Europe - Apr 18, 2010
- Passengers stuck as volcanic ash spreads across Europe (Second lead) - Apr 16, 2010
- First plane leaves Beirut after volcanic ash disruption - Apr 19, 2010
- Spain partly closes air space due to volcanic ash cloud - May 08, 2010
- NERC plane takes off to investigate ash cloud from Eyjafjallajokull volcano over England - Apr 16, 2010
- Europe cancels 250 flights over volcanic ash (Lead) - May 24, 2011
- Polish airspace safe despite Iceland volcano eruption - May 24, 2011
- Eurocontrol says about 500 European flights cancelled due to volcanic ash cloud on Monday - May 10, 2010
- Irish airspace to close on Tuesday morning due to volcanic ash cloud - May 04, 2010
- European airlines cancel more than 500 flights as volcanic ash spreads - May 24, 2011
- Ireland reopens western airports early following volcanic ash cloud - May 07, 2010
- Etihad Airways signs deal with French railway - Jul 06, 2011
- British airports close after volcanic ash spreads - May 16, 2010
- European no-fly zone shrinks, but remains subject to change - Apr 20, 2010
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