Alaskan Volcanoes Could Threaten Air Traffic Between Asia And North America

"About 20,000 to 30,000 people fly daily between North America and Asia over routes that pass close to the Aleutian Islands. Most international flights are above 30,000 feet.

When the Eyjafjallajokull volcano erupted on Iceland in the spring of 2010 it sent ash plumes high enough to disrupt flights across Europe for several days.

Jeff Freymueller, co-ordinating scientist with the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, said volcano experts are keeping a close watch on Pavlof and Cleveland. “We are checking every few hours, 24 hours a day, to see if there is any ramping up,” he said.

Dr. Freymueller said Pavlof’s long history shows there have been several big eruptions over time, the latest in 1996 when an ash plume went up more than 30,000 feet, and that could happen again"

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