Iceland volcano: Icelandair pilot performs extra go-around to give passengers a once-in-a-lifetime view of huge active volcano

It’s not often that an airline will go the extra mile to publicise its own flight delays.

But Icelandair has received nothing but praise after one of its pilots took a detour to give passengers a once-in-a-lifetime aerial view of an active, lava-spewing volcano.

The flight was passing not far from Iceland’s Bardarbunga volcano, which only this Sunday caused the country’s aviation warning level to be set at the maximum red alert.

And while extraordinary 50-metre fountains of lava continue to provide an amazing visual display on the mountainside, no much-feared and highly-disruptive clouds of ash have yet emerged.

That meant that yesterday a pilot was able to safely go around the island again to show the volcano in all its glory, according to a tweet posted by the airline, and those on board were able to capture some pretty sensational photographs.

Icelandair thanked one passenger for their image, writing: “Our pilot made an extra circle around #Bardarbunga this morning to let passengers check it out. Thanks to Erla Vinsý!”

Gisli Olafsson, an Iceland-based emergency response director whose Twitter feed is dedicated to monitoring the country’s volcanic activity, was quick to assure social media users that the pilot’s actions were completely safe.

He said it was an “informed aviation decision” and that they were “well above any potential threat area”, and joked: “One @Icelandair flight ‘delayed’ due to #Holuhraun #eruption - pilot added a sightseeing tour - nobody complained :-)”

It now seems that Icelandair may have unwittingly set a precedent for passengers’ expectations, with some on Twitter asking if they can have a similar fly-by experience.

Leon Hans said it looked like a “great view”, and added: “Can you ask my pilot of the flight 8.10 tomorrow morning from Helsinki to Amsterdam to do the same?”

Others were simply appreciative. Sharon Somerville said: “That was a very kind thought, your pilot. Love your airline; love your country.”

Yesterday a spokesperson for Iceland’s department of civil protection said the eruption was “still going on at the same pace as before”, while recent reports from the ground suggest that, if anything, activity increased this morning despite heavy rain.

Kristin Jonsdottir, a geophysicist at Iceland’s Meteorological Office, said lava is currently emerging from a fissure and has covered an area of about 6.2 square km. She said that even if it closes, further eruptions “cannot be ruled out”.