Our colleague David Learmount was doing the rounds of the TV studios in the UK at the weekend, assuring worried viewers that this year's Icelandic volcanic eruption would not be as bad as 2010, which shut most of European airspace and caused chaos.
Although some UK airports were shut yesterday and a couple of German ones are today, he seems to have been proved right, along with a number of other experts who - as David admits - know more about vulcanology than he does.
David's other point though - that this year the industry (airlines, airports, manufacturers, regulators and government) are much more prepared across Europe - is a very valid one. However, Ryanair's petulance yesterday shows that there is still considerable disagreement over the way ash clouds should be approached.
Follow the story as it develops on flightglobal.com and read our coverage in Flight International's 31 May issue.
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