The fine volcanic dust can clog jet engines, causing them to flame out in some cases, or leaving them irreparably damaged.

"We have redeployed units to the south of France due to the closure of air space, to be able to ensure transport missions, patrols and policing of the skies", Major Frederic Solano told AFP.

Aircraft assigned to permanent standby had been based at Dijon and Tours in the centre, Orange in the south and Mont-de-Marsan in the south west, Solano said.

Including fighters, fighter-bombers, helicopters, a flying tanker and an AWACS radar and control aircraft, they are on a few minutes' notice for take-off.

Regarding France's nuclear deterrent, some of which is airborne, Solano said the air force was "capable of carrying out this mission at any time".

In Britain, the defence ministry said it had "suspended all non-essential flying above 3,000 feet (around 1,000 metres). Essential helicopter operations have resumed under 3,000 feet."

Germany suspended its military aviation until Monday morning. "The impact is less significant at the weekend because there are fewer flight exercises at this time", an air force spokesman said.

The Luftwaffe was still authorising "urgent" and "necessary" flights however, including rescue operations, it said.

Switzerland's defence ministry spokesman said its airspace closure also applied to all military aircraft, with the only exceptions being search and rescue flights, as stipulated by the civil aviation authority.

Austria has grounded its military aviation activity since Friday, but helicopter flights remained possible.

"In case of emergency our flights will take off regardless", a ministry of defence spokesman said.

The Dutch defence ministry had to cancel a routine flying exercise, Frisian Flag, at the Leeuwarden air base in the northern Netherlands.

All of its military flights have been stopped, but a ministry statement said two F-16 fighter jets remained on standby. "If an unidentified aircraft enters Dutch air space, the fighters can be used to intercept."

Military rescue helicopters were also ready to bring patients to the Netherlands in case of an emergency on a ship, oil rig or one of the Wadden Islands to the north of the country.

In spite of the air space closure, two Cougar helicopters were used to help put out dune fires in Bergen in the western Netherlands.

Polish airspace, closed to civilian flights until further notice, remained open for military planes, the spokesman for the national aviation agency, Grzegorz Hlebowicz, told AFP.

"Aircraft that follow Visual Flight Rules and do not go over 6,000 metres altitude are still authorised to fly above Poland", he said.

Some 16,000 passenger flights in European airspace were cancelled on Saturday according to Eurocontrol, which coordinates air traffic control in 38 nations.

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