Which Icelandic volcano’s 2010 eruption disrupted European air travel with ash?

Eyjafjallajökull’s 2010 eruption disrupted European air travel with ash.

The Icelandic volcano began an eruptive sequence in March 2010, followed by a more explosive phase on 14 April beneath an ice cap. Water from melting ice interacted with magma, helping fragment the magma into fine ash. Strong winds then carried the ash plume over parts of Europe.

From 15 to 21 April, many European countries restricted or closed airspace because volcanic ash can damage jet engines and reduce visibility. The disruptions affected millions of travellers and produced thousands of cancelled flights. The event demonstrated how a relatively modest eruption can create major international consequences when it occurs beneath an ice cap near busy air routes.

Eyjafjallajökull is both a volcano and the name of the glacier covering it. Its name is often difficult for non-Icelandic speakers to pronounce, but the volcano became globally recognizable because of the aviation crisis. Nearby Katla is a separate, larger volcanic system, not another name for the same eruption.