AMSTERDAM—Eager to restore normal operations, Dutch airline KLM, says it will have three cargo airliners take off to Asia on Sunday evening following a series of successful test flights.
Chief executive of KLM, Peter Hartman, told Dutch national broadcaster NOS that the airline has received permission for the cargo-flights to take off but are only allowed to take off during daylight.
Ash from Iceland’s Eyjafjallajökull volcano has been covered large parts of Europe since last Thursday, leading to a flight ban for large parts of Europe on Friday.
The announcement comes after a series of successful test flights at normal flying altitudes on Sunday, which according to KLM showed no damage to the airplanes.
The test flights aimed to measure what the consequences of the volcanic ash would be on airplane parts, especially the engines. In 1989, a KLM airliner saw all four engines fail after flying through volcanic ash.
European transport ministers will meet on Monday to review the results of the test flights and to discuss the flight ban over parts of European airspace.
Millions of passengers have been affected by canceled flights and airlines have reportedly lost $200 million per day.
Chief executive of KLM, Peter Hartman, told Dutch national broadcaster NOS that the airline has received permission for the cargo-flights to take off but are only allowed to take off during daylight.
Ash from Iceland’s Eyjafjallajökull volcano has been covered large parts of Europe since last Thursday, leading to a flight ban for large parts of Europe on Friday.
The announcement comes after a series of successful test flights at normal flying altitudes on Sunday, which according to KLM showed no damage to the airplanes.
The test flights aimed to measure what the consequences of the volcanic ash would be on airplane parts, especially the engines. In 1989, a KLM airliner saw all four engines fail after flying through volcanic ash.
European transport ministers will meet on Monday to review the results of the test flights and to discuss the flight ban over parts of European airspace.
Millions of passengers have been affected by canceled flights and airlines have reportedly lost $200 million per day.
Friends Read Free