A statement issued at 15:30 Monday NATS, updates the situation following Iceland's volcanic eruption and subsequent air traffic disruption thus:

"The volcanic eruption has reduced and the volcano is not currently emitting ash to altitudes that will affect the UK. Assuming there are no further significant ash emissions we are now looking at a continuously improving situation.

Based on the latest information from the Met Office, NATS advises that the restrictions currently in place across UK controlled airspace will remain in place until 0700 (local time) tomorrow, Tuesday.

From 0700 (local time) tomorrow, Tuesday, Scottish airspace will be open, and south to a line between Teesside and Blackpool. Mainland Scottish airports will be open."

The situation is, they warn, dynamic and changing, making forecasts beyond 0700 difficult. The latest Met Office advice, on the other hand, suggests that the contaminated area will continue to move south with the possibility that restrictions to airspace above England and Wales, including the London area, may be lifted later tomorrow (Tuesday).

Commenting on the impact on business, Rick Cudworth, head of resilience and testing at Deloitte said: "Airspace lockdown due to volcano eruption is an event that was not in most risk registers (including the UK's National Risk Register). This could lead to questions about the validity of business continuity and contingency planning - things that actually happen can't always be predicted. The answer is that preparedness, including thorough regular scenario based simulations, builds the ability to manage any kind of crisis.

"Our clients appear to be coping well with the airspace lockdown because they take an increasingly serious approach to planning and preparation for high consequence events - known or unknown. Businesses in general are facing issues with their supply chains (where delivery is by air freight) and staff (where they are unable to travel to/from overseas); some industries will be much more impacted than others and in 'crisis mode' (for example those highly dependent on air travel and air freight).

"Based on the scientific and meteorological forecasts, businesses would do well to play out this scenario over a long-term period to determine the possible consequences and proportionate actions they may wish to take."

A further update from NATS has been scheduled for publication at about 2100 today. Airports and airlines themselves will decide how to use this information.

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