Iceland Heathrow Along With Other Airports Closed Due To Volcanic Ash

Two of Europe's busiest airports closed early Monday morning as a dense cloud of volcanic ash drifted from Iceland, aviation authorities said.

The airspace over London's Heathrow Airport closed at 1 a.m. local time Monday, Britain's National Air Traffic Service said in a statement late Sunday night.

In Amsterdam, Schiphol Airport, another of Europe's biggest air travel hubs, was closed until 2 p.m. local time Monday, a statement on Dutch airline KLM's website said. Airports across Britain and Ireland were closed for much of Sunday because of the drifting ash.

The shifting of the no-fly zone southward will allow airports in northern England, including the key cities of Manchester and Liverpool, to reopen after 1 a.m. local time. But all airports in Northern Ireland, as well as some Scottish facilities, will remain shut.