London flights may not take off until tomorrow

PARIS, France A statement from the British National Air Traffic Service early today says the eruption "has strengthened and a new ash cloud is spreading" toward Britain.

London is a a major hub for thousands of daily flights worldwide and the drifting volcanic ash has crippled European air travel.

The Eurocontrol air traffic agency in Brussels says it expects some 55 to 60 percent of flights over Europe to go ahead today.

An international pilots group warned that ash remains a danger and safety, not economics should be the main driving factor.