Author: Patrick Murray, Emeritus Professor of Aviation, University of Southern Queensland

At least three airlines cancelled flights between Australia and Bali this week after a volcano eruption in eastern Indonesia spewed a vast plume of volcanic ash into the air. But while would-be holiday makers are naturally upset at having their plans disrupted, it’s worth remembering it’s not safe to fly planes through volcanic ash. So, how do airlines decide it’s not safe to fly when a volcano erupts? And why is volcanic ash so dangerous for aircraft, anyway? What does volcanic ash do to a plane? Volcanic ash particles are very, very abrasive. They can cause permanent damage to windscreens…