by After weeks of intense seismic activity, a volcano has erupted in southwestern Iceland, just one day after the area reopened to tourists.
The eruption occurs just a few kilometers from Iceland’s most popular tourist attraction, the Blue Lagoon wellness complex and hotels. It had partially reopened on Sunday, despite the ongoing volcanic activity in the area: the decision to reopen was made “in close collaboration with the authorities,” he then indicated on his website.
The Blue Lagoon is now closed. Their website reports: “we have temporarily closed our facilities in Svartsengi. “All guests with confirmed reservations will be contacted in the coming days.”
A hotel near the eruption site has advised its guests to keep their windows closed to protect themselves from smoke from the fissure, traveler Jake Turner said on X this morning. “Now I’m in Iceland, the hotel called every room and said to keep the windows closed because the volcano had erupted.”
According to Keflavik Airport’s website, six flights due to depart this morning, including the 6.50am flight to Stansted, have been delayed until after midday. However, the Icelandic government says the delays are not due to the eruption and that other scheduled flights are leaving as planned.
“There are no disruptions to flights to and from Iceland, and international flight corridors remain open,” the Icelandic government said in a statement this morning.
Online flight tracker Flightradar24.com shows that planes have been arriving and departing without interruption from Keflavík International Airport, which is 10 miles northwest of the eruption.
Icelandic police say they have raised their alert level as a result of the eruption, but there is currently no danger to life as the lava moves away from Grindavik, their nearest settlement.
Here’s what you need to know if you have a reservation to travel to Iceland and your rights if you decide to cancel your trip.
How long will the Icelandic volcano risk last?
“There has been some discussion, led by the IMO, that this eruption is part of a rebound in activity that could lead to decades of increased activity,” says Matthew Watson, professor of Volcanoes and Climate at the University of Bristol.
“Evidence for this is the fact that there have been multiple eruptions along the same series of fissures on the peninsula in recent years, and before that, an interval of 800 years.”
This eruption could be the start of months of activity, warns Professor Watson: “If we look at previous eruptions in the region, a single burst usually lasts weeks or months: this is true for the three most recent eruptions on the peninsula, for example. “Some eruptions in Iceland may last longer.”
Last month, residents of the nearby town of Grindavík were evacuated by Iceland’s Civil Protection Agency amid warnings of a “river of magma”, harmful gases and “fire sources” in the area.
The Reykjanes Peninsula is a key tourist area of Iceland, home to Keflavik Airport, the country’s busiest air hub, which is connected to Britain by easyJet, British Airways and other major airlines.
Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, is located about 50 kilometers from the volcanic system.
Will the Icelandic volcano affect flights, like during the Eyjafjallajokull ash cloud?
The billowing ash cloud from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano caused global travel disruptions in the spring of 2010, amid concerns that particles and debris could damage aircraft engines. Commercial flights across Europe were suspended for almost a week, leaving 50,000 flights grounded and some 10 million travelers stranded.
The outage lasted almost a week and caused the highest level of disruption to air travel since World War II. Could this new wave of seismic activity cause similar chaos?
No, because the activity occurs underground, not under a glacier, says Paavo Nikkola, research scientist at the Geological Survey of Finland GTK.
“A volcanic ash cloud like the one in 2010 is not possible now,” Nikkola told Finnish broadcaster Yle. “Back then, the ash was generated by a large explosive eruption beneath a glacier.”
The region has experienced several eruptions in recent years, none of which affected flights, reports a spokesperson for PLAY, a low-cost airline based at Keflavik International Airport. “Iceland is no stranger to volcanic activity: in the last two years there have been three eruptions on the Reykjanes Peninsula and there have been no disruptions to flights. It has some of the most advanced volcanic preparation systems in the world to safeguard the public and is well prepared for any eventuality.
“The current localized seismic activity on the Reykjanes Peninsula is being continuously monitored by the Icelandic Meteorological Office, the Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management and a team of scientists from the University of Iceland to detect any changes.”
Are flights to Iceland being cancelled?
“There are no disruptions to flights to and from Iceland and international flight corridors remain open,” Iceland’s government said in a statement this morning.
Online flight tracker Flightradar24.com shows that planes have been arriving and departing without interruption from Keflavík International Airport, which is 10 miles northwest of the eruption, however, some early morning departures have been delayed until after the midday.
Companies such as Icelandair, easyJet and British Airways connect Keflavik, the country’s main airline hub, with Britain, and is a key stopover hub for transatlantic flights. It is the gateway to Reykjavik, the country’s capital, 50 minutes away by car.
“I don’t think so [the eruption] “It will have a huge effect on air traffic,” Thor Thordarson, professor of volcanology and petrology at the University of Iceland, told Bloomberg last night. “But potentially this will have a serious and significant impact on local communities and infrastructure, including the town of Grindavik, the Blue Lagoon and the Svartsengi power station.”
In recent weeks, airlines have told Telegraph Travel they are “closely monitoring the situation”. Last week, an easyJet spokesperson warned: “Our flight schedule is currently operating as normal, however we are monitoring the situation closely and if this changes we will contact customers directly to inform them about their flights.”
A British Airways spokesperson warned: “Our flights are operating as planned and we continue to closely monitor the situation. “We will contact customers directly if the situation changes.”
Icelandair, the national airline, has advised that it cannot comment on the situation.
PLAY Airlines has also confirmed that it will contact customers whose flights may be affected. An airline spokesperson added: “[PLAY] is continually monitoring the situation with the Icelandic government and the Met Office and will provide timely updates via email and text messages on any major developments that may affect flights.
Is it safe to visit Iceland?
Currently, the FCDO does not warn against travel to Iceland. Those heading to the region should “keep an eye on local media updates and follow authorities’ advice on traveling to the area,” he advises.
Travelers should “look for alerts and advice on: the Icelandic Meteorological Office, Safe Travel Iceland, the Almanavarnadeild Facebook page and Twitter (@almannavarnir).”
I’m in Iceland now. Can I come home early?
That depends on your airline or tour operator. The FCDO does not currently warn against travel to or around Iceland, so your transport provider is not obliged to shorten your trip or offer a refund if you decide to return home early. As stated above, you should monitor the situation through official IMO channels.
If you change your travel plans, you’ll likely have to pay for the privilege, although if you have a flexible ticket, the charge may be waived. Speak directly to your airline or tour operator before taking any decisive action.
Should I cancel my vacation to Iceland?
Unless the FCDO changes its advice to warn against travel to Iceland or the area you are heading to, your holiday is likely to go as planned.
If you decide to cancel your holiday, it is highly unlikely that you will be covered by travel insurance.
Holidays in Iceland are currently going ahead as normal, says Georgina Hancock, marketing director at regional specialist Discover the World. “To date we have had to reorganize some of the itineraries of our clients who were planning to visit the Reykjanes area, including the Blue Lagoon. “They are all still traveling, but they will only visit other areas of southern Iceland.”
An easyJet holiday spokesperson said: “Our holidays are currently going ahead as planned, however we continue to monitor the situation very closely and if anything changes we will contact our customers directly.”
Will I be covered by travel insurance if I visit Iceland?
Yes, as long as the FCDO does not warn against travel to Iceland. If you are concerned, speak to your provider directly and make sure you have the “emergency” phone number to hand while you are abroad, in case the situation escalates.
Where is the Blue Lagoon and is it safe to visit?
The Blue Lagoon wellness complex is currently closed to the public.
The seismic activity is centered on the Fagradalsfjall volcanic system on the Reykjanes Peninsula in southwestern Iceland. Svartsengi, where the Blue Lagoon is located, has experienced large earthquakes and land rises in recent weeks.
“Magma flows under Svartsengi and the land continues to rise. What we are seeing now is a new chapter,” Víðir Reynisson, Iceland’s head of Civil Protection and Emergency Management, told local media last weekend.
The Blue Lagoon geothermal pool, Blue Cafe, Lava Restaurant, Retreat Spa, Spa Restaurant and the on-site Blue Lagoon Skincare store resumed operations just a day before the Monday night eruption, Sunday, December 17.
The Svartsengi wellness complex near Keflavik airport has been closed since November 9 due to seismic activity on the Reykjanes Peninsula.
