UK flight ban extended to 7 pm tonight

UPDATE UK AIRSPACE NOW OPEN…

Volcanic ash advice: UK Ministers meet to discuss plans before UK flight restrictions were extended until at least 1900 BST on Monday.

Ideas have included flying some 150,000 UK travelers and holidaymakers who are outside the no-fly zone to Spain and then using the Royal Navy and requisitioning merchant ships to help return them to the UK.

Gordon Brown has spoken to his Spanish counterpart about the plan, No 10 said.

A spokeswoman said the prime minister and the Spanish leader had explored whether Britons could be returned by landing in Spain – which is open to flights – from certain parts of the world.