EasyJet is going to test infra-red cameras that should be able to detect ash clouds up to 100km (60 miles) ahead.

The device would help planes to spot ash that could damage them and take an alternative route to avoid the cloud.

Air safety experts encourage the tests but say that there will still be problems.

Chris Yates of Yates Consulting says: “They will be operating in controlled and congested airspace: you can’t just hang a left because the cloud looks dodgy, because you’re likely to smack into something else.”