All Policies Include Coronavirus Cover
Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30
Coronavirus FAQs
Questions about cover for coronavirus? Read our FAQs and find out what our policies can do for you. If you would like to contact us, please note we are currently only available 09:00 to 17:30 Monday to Friday due to reduced operational capacity. Thank you.
15 November 2013 11:03
Ian Davies, easyJet's engineering director, points to the area on the plane where the Avoid volcanic sensor is placed
Travel disruptions caused by volcanic ash could be a thing of past if tests on aircraft prove successful.
As part of an experiment by easyJet to test volcanic sensor detection equipment it plans to fit to its planes, an artificial ash cloud was created.
The conditions were made to mimic those which caused widespread disruption and led to thousands of travel insurance claims when Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull erupted in 2010.
The eruption created a massive ash cloud in the atmosphere across vast areas of Europe, severely delaying flights and leaving passengers stranded across the world.
In the experiment, a test plane dispersed one tonne of Icelandic ash into the atmosphere at between 9,000ft and 11,000ft.
A second aircraft fitted with the Avoid (Airborne Volcanic Object Identifier and Detector) technology then flew towards the ash cloud, identifying and measuring it from around 40 miles away.
In addition, a small aircraft was flown into the cloud to take exact measurements for comparison with those taken by the Avoid device.
The cloud measured 600ft-800ft deep and was about 1.75 miles in diameter. It was initially visible to the naked eye, but became hard to identify once it began to dissipate.
The Avoid device successfully detected the ash cloud and measured its density to be within the range of concentrations measured during the 2010 eruption.
"Finding a solution is as crucial now as ever to ensure we never again see the scenes of spring 2010 when all flying ceased across Europe for several days," easyJet engineering director Ian Davies said.
He called the development a "key step in the final journey of testing the technology and moving towards commercial certification" and added that easyJet will now work towards developing a "non-integrated stand-alone system".
This system, Davies went on, is aimed to be fitted to a number of the airline's current fleet by the end of next year.
Avoid inventor Dr Fred Prata said: "The team has just executed a unique scientific and engineering experiment conclusively demonstrating that low concentrations of ash can be identified by the sensor."
17 March 2020
Escape it all with a visit to one of the world's hidden island gems.
[more...]
02 July 2021
It's time for some Mediterranean sun and unforgettable sights. Here are five of our favourite must-sees in Malta.
Take your pick of the best beaches in Portugal, spanning more than 500 miles of the Portuguese coastline.
Holidays are back but not quite as we know them. Here's a quick guide to what to expect when travelling to and from green list countries.
28 February 2020
From tulip-filled trips to rose-tinged rests, these destinations are the perfect way to see in the new season.
04 January 2021
Join us on a journey to Ancient Greece to discover more about history's most revered statue.
Head north for a light show like no other. Discover how you can see the Northern Lights for yourself.
Discover more about the magnificent waterfall perched on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe.
10 December 2020
Don't sleep on the world's most impressive dormant volcano.
A destination that stands head and shoulders above the rest.
19 November 2020
Take a tour of one of South America's most captivating natural landscapes.
Discover the hidden depths of the world's most recognisable desert gorge.