FLIGHT restrictions have been extended until at least 1am tomorrow as the airline crisis continues to cause chaos across the UK and Europe.

An update this morning from the Met Office has resulted in the National Air Traffic Control service Nats extending the restrictions as the volcanic ash cloud looks set to remain across UK controlled airspace until the early hours of tomorrow morning.

A spokesman said: “Based on the latest information from the Met Office, NATS advises that the current restrictions across UK controlled airspace due to the volcanic ash cloud will remain in place until at least 0100 (local) on Tuesday 20th April.

“Anyone hoping to travel should contact their airline before travelling to the airport.

“Conditions around the movement of the layers of the volcanic ash cloud over the UK remain dynamic.

“NATS is maintaining close dialogue with the Met Office and with the UK's safety regulator, the CAA, in respect of the international civil aviation policy we follow in applying restrictions to use of airspace. We are currently awaiting CAA guidance.”

“We are working closely with Government, airports and airlines, and airframe and aero engine manufacturers to get a better understanding of the effects of the ash cloud and to seek solutions.

A spokeswoman for Southampton Airport said flights would not start until at least 6.30am tomorrow morning.

"Following the latest advice from NATS, flights to and from Southampton Airport are suspended until 0100 on Tuesday 20 April at the earliest. As the airport is closed at night, flights are suspended until 0630 at the earliest. Passengers should not travel to the airport until further notice, and should remain in touch with their airlines.

"We appreciate the continued patience of passengers at this difficult time and will provide updates as often as possible."

Ministers said everything was being done to try to help the estimated 150,000 Britons stranded abroad by the UK flights ban.

Transport Secretary Lord Adonis is in ''hourly contact'' with the airline companies, Cabinet Office Minister Tessa Jowell said today.

She spoke to reporters briefly in Whitehall on her way to the meeting of the emergency Cobra committee meeting.

She said: “We are doing everything we can do.

“We are now going to a meeting of Cobra with five or six cabinet ministers and we are looking at every aspect.

“Lord Adonis is in hourly contact with the airlines and all the other agencies.”

She added that Prime Minister Gordon Brown had spoken to his Spanish counterpart last night about the prospect of bringing UK travellers back through Spain.

Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth, Lord Adonis and the government's chief scientific adviser, John Beddington, also arrived for the meeting at the cabinet office in central London.

Nats say the movement of the layers of the volcanic ash cloud over the UK "remained dynamic" and would provide an update at 3pm today.

Tell us your story

Are you stranded abroad? Do you have friends and family trying to get home?

Have you managed to return to the UK after finding another way to travel?

Let us know your story by emailing newsdesk@dailyecho.co.uk or contact Corey Stephenson on 023 8042 4503 or corey.stephenson@dailyecho.co.uk