Sunday, May 16, 2010 at 8:58PM

The busiest and second-busiest airports in the United Kingdom are both closed for the night. The closures are due to renewed concern about the levels of ash in the air, from the continued eruption of Eyjafjallajökull, the volcano in south-central Iceland whose eruption brought all commercial air traffic in Europe to a standstill for several days last month. These closures will follow a day of frustration for many air travelers in North West England, where Manchester and Liverpool each closed its own major airport today. The ash cloud is estimated to move south and settle in over Greater London during Monday and Tuesday. It is estimated the ash cloud will have moved on through London by Wednesday.

The United Kingdom’s two busiest airports, Heathrow (IATA: LHR; ICAO: EGLL), and Gatwick (IATA: LGW; ICAO: EGKK) are scheduled to be closed from 1:00 Monday morning to 7:00 Monday morning local time (8:00 Sunday evening to 2:00 Monday morning, EDT). Officials at both airports advise travelers who are scheduled to fly during the night to contact their airline for further information.

London City Airport (IATA: LCY; ICAO: EGLC) the one nearest to the center of The Metropolis, reports that London airspace is entirely closed from midnight to 6:00 Monday morning, local time. Suburban Luton Airport (IATA: LTN; ICAO: EGGW) does not give any indication that it intends to close at this time.

Suburban Stansted Airport (IATA: STN; ICAO: EGSS) also does not yet plan to close. But all advise air travelers to keep close contact with the operating airlines of their flights for updates.

related story

Eyjafjallajökull damage report, and spectacular new video (May 13, 2010)

original story (www.breakingtravelnews.com)

original story (CNN)

original story (BBC)

update from the BBC (BBC)