Volcanic ash chaos: Royal Navy sails to rescue of stranded passengers
Hopes that flights from Birmingham could recommence soon were dashed when it was decided that the flights ban would stay in place until at least 1am on Tuesday.
The Government today called up the Royal Navy to help bring back stranded air passengers after the UK flights ban was extended to at least 1am tomorrow.
Amid signs that the Icelandic volcano activity was lessening, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said HMS Ark Royal and HMS Ocean would be used to get Britons stuck overseas home.
A third vessel, HMS Albion, which was on its way to Spain to pick up troops, "may be able to be of help", said Mr Brown.
He was speaking after a meeting in London of the emergency planning committee Cobra.
While the meeting was going on, air traffic control company Nats announced the extension, to 1am tomorrow, of the restriction on all flights within controlled UK airspace.
With around 150,000 Britons unable to return home, it had been hoped Nats' news would offer a glimmer of hope of some restoration of flights.
Mr Brown said HMS Ocean would go to the Channel to help with the situation.
"I expect Ocean to be in the Channel today. I expect the Ark Royal to be moving towards the Channel later," he said.
He added that discussions would continue today with Spanish premier Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero about using Madrid as a hub to help stranded British travellers return to the UK.
Mr Brown went on: "This is the biggest challenge to our aviation transport network for many years."
The decision to use the Navy was welcomed by Conservative leader David Cameron who pointed out that it was the Tories that had first suggested the idea yesterday.
Yesterday, British Airways operated one of a number of test flights, taking a jumbo jet up to 40,000ft (12,192m) over the Atlantic.
Today, Mr Brown said the results of these test flights were being looked at as well as plane manufacturers' recommendations.
