Latest travel information to the World Chess Championship 2010

Bulgaria closes half of the airports, Sofia still functioning

As Chessdom.com reported a few days ago, the chess fans might experience serious problems when coming to the World Chess Championship 2010 due to the ash cloud from Eyjafjallajökull. As per tonight, April 18th, 0:00 local time Bulgaria closes half of its airspace, including two major airports – Varna and Gorna Oriahovica. Sofia will still be open for landing planes, but a decision for closing can come any minute.

The larger problems for chess fans are currently created at starting points of their travel as well as major transfer points. Scroll down for the latest AP information, stay tuned with us for further details.

Chessdom.com has currently 14 journalists in Sofia, 3 more are expected to arrive by Monday from the problematic destinations. But even if they do not make it to the playing hall, you will still be able to enjoy multimedia reports, live commentary, photos, and interviews from the venue of the match Topalov – Anand.

Latest AP travel information

U.K.: All airspace closed until at least 0600 GMT Sunday (2 a.m. EDT Saturday). British Airways canceling all flights in and out of the U.K. Sunday.

Ireland: All airspace closed until at least 1200 GMT (8 a.m. EDT) Sunday.

France: Paris airports and about two dozen others in northern France will remain closed until 8 a.m. (0600 GMT) Monday morning.

Germany: All airspace closed until 2 p.m. (1200 GMT) Sunday.

Austria: Lower airspace (below 7,500 meters) closed until at least 1200 GMT Sunday, but higher airspace (above 7,500 meters) has been gradually reopened since 1800 GMT Saturday.

Belgium: Brussels Airlines canceled all flights until noon Monday. Belgian airspace closure until at least 0600 GMT Sunday.

The Netherlands: All airspace closed until further notice.

Canada: Airports across the country canceled flights to and from northern Europe.

Switzerland: Swiss air space closed until 1400 GMT Sunday. Planes using instruments can fly across Switzerland as long as they stay above 20,000 feet (6,000 meters).

Italy: Airspace in northern Italy closed until 0600 GMT Monday.

Spain: Iberia canceled all of its European flights — except those linking Spain with Portugal, south Italy, Greece and Istanbul — until further notice.

Nordics: All airspace in Sweden closed until further notice; in Denmark till at least 0600 GMT; and in Finland until 1200 GMT Sunday. Only airspace in Norway’s far north is open, with 21 small airports in northern Norway open for travel.

Bosnia: Airspace closed down at least until early Sunday.

Czech Republic: All air space will remain closed at least till Sunday noon.

Croatia: International airports in the capital of Zagreb and in Osijek, in the east, and those in the western parts of the country were all closed.

Slovenia: International airports in Maribor and Portoroz closed.

Serbia and Montenegro: Airspace including southern Adriatic Sea closed until further notice.

Belarus: All flights banned until at least 1300GMT. At the Minsk National Airport most flights to Europe have been canceled.

Ukraine: All Ukrainian airports closed until further notice except for Simferopol in Crimea.

Russia: About 185 flights from Russian airports are delayed or have been canceled.

Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
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