European regional carriers are to take legal steps to recover losses incurred during the ash-related airspace closures over the continent earlier this year.

The European Regions Airline Association, at its annual general assembly in Barcelona this week, stated that it was "outraged" at the "failure" of politicians and regulators to provide timely compensation over the matter.

It says that its airline and airport directors have "agreed...to recover financial damages through legal action".

"Europe's politicians have sat on their hands for far too long on this issue," says association president Antonis Simigdalas.

"Airlines have now lost patience and have been forced to seek alternative legal solutions to recover the additional costs they incurred."

ERA's directorate has been instructed to explore "any opportunity" for initiating class action to recover damages.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news