"The major barrier to resuming flight has been understanding tolerance levels of aircraft to ash, " the CAA said.

BBC: Ash flights ban: UK airports permitted to reopen

D-dimer levels during the flight, high enough to worry Dr Jacobson.

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John Stewart, chairman of the UK Noise Association in London said the study echoed anecdotal reports from people living under flight paths who said even when levels were within recommended safety limits, noise could still be bad for your health.

BBC: Traffic noise 'could harm children'

Officials know perfectly well that passengers will already have imbibed all the fructarian juices imaginable on the ground and will welcome the alternative of these expensively imported, highly calorific pop drinks to keep their energy levels up during random in-flight activities like mass seat changes and locating serviceable toilets.

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Residents living under the flight path fear a second runway would increase noise levels and cause air quality to deteriorate.

BBC: Gatwick Airport

The airline also will cut its flight schedule by 15 percent from its pre-terrorist attack levels, including a 50 percent drop in its Delta Express operation that primarily serves the Florida vacation market.

CNN: Recovery: More layoffs in the air

The plan submitted to the Air Transportation Stabilisation Board still contained the right, among other things, for pilots and flight attendants in most cases to have their pay restored to today's levels by 2008.

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Yet while most people have read of the threat of rising sea levels and melting polar caps, or experienced a nagging guilt when booking a cheap flight or buying exotic fruit imported from the other side of the planet, hitherto global warming has largely been something we are happy to leave to the scientists to worry about.

CNN: Six degrees of devastation