PARIS

The world’s leading airline industry group slammed European governments for using scientific theory — not fact — in their decisions to close large swathes of European airspace, saying

there was “no risk assessment, no consultation, no coordination, and no leadership”.

“It’s embarrassing, and a European mess,” said Mr Giovanni Bisignani, director-general and CEO of the International Air Transport Association (Iata). “It took five days to organise a conference call with the ministers of transport and we are losing US$200 million per day ($270 million) (and) 750,000 passengers are stranded all over. Does it make sense?”

Speaking to reporters in Paris, Mr Bisignani said it would take between three and six days for services to return to normal once governments lift the flight bans.

European transport ministers were to hold a video conference to work out how to get around the chaos sparked by Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull volcano, as forecasters predicted the ash cloud could soon reach remote parts of Canada.

Amid pressure to ease airspace restrictions, Spain, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union, said any decision on reopening air traffic in Europe will have safety as its main consideration.

“We must be prudent and act rigorously.People need to understand that we are working to ensure their safety even if this causes numerous problems and heavy losses,” said Spanish Transport Minister Jose Blanco.

Air France-KLM has said that it alone was losing €35 million ($64 million) per day, and British Airways said the group was losing £15-20 million ($31-41 million) a day.

In response, the EU Commission said it was prepared to authorise exceptional financial aid to airlines, similar to “the framework we adopted after 9/11”, which would allow governments to compensate companies for losses due to the volcanic ash cloud.

All the major airports in Western Europe remained closed yesterday but the authorities in Poland, Sweden, Norway, Romania, Croatia and the Czech Republic announced the resumption of flights.

Last night, Germany’s aviation authority granted Lufthansa permission to fly 50 planes back to the country with about 15,000 passengers aboard.

S w i t z e r l a n d and Denmark allowed aircraft

‘Governments lack leadership’